why don't restrurants make you pay for your food before you order? it would prevent people from dining and dashing

People tend to add to their orders throughout the meal. Plus, it would make extra work for the servers to amend the tabs anytime a change was made, and we know how people feel about extra effort in 2025. Finally, drinks are where most profit is made. Object is to keep customers "refilling" then gratuity on the grand total.

I kind of like it the old, humane way... I like remembering some greek taverns, offering you a second round of drinks or a desert for free.

Fast food places make you pay before they give you your food. It creates a very machine like ambiance. People go to restaurants for the experience in addition to food.

It allows the patron to send the food back if it is not to their liking or is not prepared adequately. Also dine and dash must not be that common.

1. dine and dash is relatively rare

2. restaurant would be missing out on sales of appetizers, drinks and desserts.

I think you may have something there

Sounds like a good move for the restaurant

Maybe to encourage people to keep ordering things throughout the meal.

Because they want to collect your tips.