Stealing a plate or a salt shaker has never been so trendy. On TikTok, discreetly stealing an item after a restaurant dinner is becoming a trendy challenge, fueled by a handful of influencers who are turning it into a new viral playground. The phenomenon, as disturbing as it is commonplace, is increasingly worrying restaurateurs and retailers.
From “souvenir” to claimed loot
A cheese grater, a cocktail glass, a ceramic bowl: these are the kinds of "treasures" some customers proudly take home. On social media, these thefts are presented as trophies. A TikTok video with over 900.000 views shows a user laughingly showing off her thefts, asking her community what "the best thing they've stolen from a restaurant" is. Enthusiastic responses in the comments. There's no remorse, quite the opposite: some even refer to them as "souvenirs." Another TikTok user, followed by thousands of subscribers, goes further: she claims to steal at every outing and displays her personal collection of "borrowed" objects. Plates, glasses, bottles—everything goes. The video has been viewed over 7 million times. "I'm neither the first nor the last to do it," she jokes. "Let's be honest, you do it too."
Growing discontent among traders
The phenomenon is spreading beyond the American borders and is also taking hold in France, where shopkeepers are seeing an increase in thefts, particularly in cafes, boutiques, and small restaurants. In Amiens, Jérôme Jean, an exasperated shopkeeper, founded the association Fed up with theft after having nearly €950 worth of merchandise stolen. In January 2023, he published the thieves' faces on his social media, an initiative that earned him a legal risk—a €45.000 fine and a year in prison—but also a massive buzz: 5 million views. Since then, he has campaigned for a legal framework for the right to distribute images of thieves. His fight aims to change the legislation to allow retailers to defend themselves against these acts, which have become commonplace on social media. His slogan? "Establishment under video surveillance, we distribute images in the event of theft." Behind these "light" videos, a worrying trivialization of theft is taking hold, with likes and complicit comments. And a heavy reality for those who, every day, see a little of their work tool disappear into the pockets of their customers.
