Chef Matt McCallister confronted thief who stole four silverware place-settings from FT33

Someone else wore his napkin rings home as bracelets.

FT33 chef-owner Matt McCallister caught a diner stealing silverware and confronted her in front of the entire dining room, according to a lively Facebook string.

DALLAS — I just read an exchange on Facebook with FT33 chef-owner Matt McCallister and his wife Iris front and center: It seems that someone attempted to steal not a fork or a knife or one of those cute little leather napkin holders, but four sets of cutlery off their table last night.

The Facebook string started with this entry from Iris: “Matt caught someone stealing four silverware settings at ft33 last night and well we certainly have different approaches but lets just say Matt spoke to them and the silverware landed back on the table immediately.”

From a different poster: “I was there last night! I saw it all go down! Lol! Ironically, I also watched this conservative woman wear her (and her husbands) napkin rings home as bracelets!!! I tattled to Matt – but he was so outraged about the silverware, he could care less about the napkin rings. I can’t believe you are having clients stealing! Absolutely ridiculous!”

A lively discussion has ensued – it’s still going on – about all the items that go missing from restaurateurs’ tables.

From one high-end restaurateur: “People will steal anything. I had a lady taking somethings one night and I stopped her … she began to yell at me that I was ridiculous because she had just dined in my restaurant and I should appreciate that instead of berating her for taking things … so strange. She then told me she would never return. I was so sad, not really (sic).”

And from another commenter: “…why should restaurant be different then retail store?? do you think Neiman would have just ask someone to quietly put things out of their purse if someone was stealing?? ohhhhh NOOO … (sic).”

But I really love the suave response from yet another high-end resto-chef-owner: “We charge people when we catch them and let them know it will be on there bill if they would like it … (sic).”

What is it that makes people feel entitled to steal things from restaurants? If you’re wealthy enough to dine at FT33, you are surely wealthy enough to buy silverware on your own dime. I personally hope the people who did this – if it went down as stated (I was not there) – feel ashamed of themselves. I’d like to see more restaurateurs get confrontational, even if it’s with the very classy move of saying the price will be added to the check. I say zero tolerance for this kind of thievery. What about you?