Robert Irwin Offers Hilariously Sweet Apology After Realizing He Accidentally Dined And Dashed

Conservationist and all-around good guy Robert Irwin apologized for an unintentional dine-and-dash after grabbing a salad at The Jetty Pavilion in Coffs Harbour, Australia. In an Instagram post, Irwin explained that he was traveling along the east coast of New South Wales and stopped for dinner.

Irwin shared the funny story with his 7.6 million followers.

“I found a great restaurant, ordered a takeaway salad, and went in. Little did I know, this place is the place to be in Coffs Harbour; it was packed."

"It’s called the Jetty Pavilion, and I went in there, and there was a lot of people who saw me, and said g’day, and wanted to have a photo and all that, which is all good.”

The unexpected pit stop caused a "frenzy” as people understandably gathered around Irwin for photo ops and greetings. After receiving his takeaway, a distracted Irwin left the establishment... without paying.

He explained:

“Was a little bit of a flurry there for a minute, and they were so nice; they got the salad super fast, I made sure I said ‘hi’ to absolutely everyone, cheers, thanks so much, have a good night, see you later…"

"And then, the next morning, I wake up and realize I never paid for my salad. I just did the old dine and dash, and I didn’t even realize I’d done it!”

Feeling extremely guilty, Irwin reached out to the restaurant and offered to pay with his credit card or Venmo, but instead, the owners asked him to “just leave a good review.”

The country’s national treasure decided to go a step further by tagging the restaurant on his Instagram to recommend and promote The Jetty Pavilion’s “great team, great food, [and] amazing atmosphere.”

Irwin also confirmed that he will pay on his return trip through Coffs Harbour and that he will no longer “steal any more salads!”

Stay away from crime, Robert Irwin!

Posted three days ago, you can watch Irwin’s sweet Instagram apology below:

The Jetty Pavilion acknowledged Irwin’s post and expressed how much they love the Irwins and value his generosity.

The restaurant owners commented:

“Ohhhh my goodness! We were just out on a family walk to Woolgoolga Waterfall and came back to see this! Thank you soooo much for visiting our venue we’re honestly blown away."

"Being from a humble little coastal town, it means the world to us to have you stop by. We’re all huge fans, and truly appreciate the shoutout.”

To add to the love fest, the restaurant owners shared that Robert Irwin’s bill was paid for by a patron named “Daniel,” who even ordered himself a salad.

You can view the restaurant’s update on their Instagram account here:

The venue has also introduced a salad named after Robert Irwin, called “The Rob & Run Salad - Pay it Forward,” which includes an option to donate to the Coffs Coast Wildlife Sanctuary, a nonprofit dedicated to rescuing, rehabilitating, and releasing injured marine animals.

According to their website, The Jetty Pavilion offers an all-day dining experience featuring Australian cuisine, live music, handcrafted cocktails, and possibly a surprise visit from a member of the Irwin family.

Irwin’s admirers also complimented him on his professional and funny apology for the accidental mistake.

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Robert Irwin will be eating and paying for more salads in the near future as he heads to the West Coast of California for the 34th season of Dancing with the Stars, premiering in September 2025.

Irwin was the first announced for the show’s fall season in April, and he will be joined by The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives’ cast members Jen Affleck and Whitney Leavitt.