Robert Irwin 'so sorry' after dine-and-dash incident as he shares wholesome apology

Few TV personalities entered hearts and set up camp quite like Steve Irwin. The Crocodile Hunter was one of the most beloved presenters in the world by the time of his tragic and untimely death in 2006 ay just 44, but his legacy has lived on through his family.

Having followed in their father’s footsteps, 21-year-old Robert and 26-year-old Bindi have become conservationists themselves, and Irwin’s wife Terri, 60, remains the owner of Australia Zoo in Queensland.

While the Irwins have got a reputation for being a lovely and dedicated bunch, Robert recently took to Instagram to share a slip-up that might otherwise have tarnished his good name.

Having been on a road trip in New South Wales, he stopped off in Coffs Harbour where he unintentionally committed a crime.

He ordered a takeout salad at Jetty Pavilion but was soon caught in a little storm of his own celebrity as people came to ask him for pictures.

“Little did I know, this place is the place to be in Coffs Harbour,” he explained in his Instagram post.

“There were a lot of people who saw me and said ‘G’day’ and wanted to have a photo, which is all good. But it turned into a bit of a frenzy.”

While all that was going on, he said the staff at Jetty Pavilion were ‘so nice and got the salad ready super fast’.

However, in the hubbub he forgot to uphold an essential element.

“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,” he said.

Not one to let such things slide, Irwin got in touch with the restaurant to figure out how best to settle up. The understanding staff made a simple request: leave us a review.

“I’ll do you one better,” he said, in the video shared with his 7.6 million followers. “You know what to do."

He continued: “Today is not the day I start my life in crime, as much as the tabloids would love that.”

In response to the post, the restaurant commented: “We can only imagine how hard it must be to enjoy a quiet meal without being bombarded so thank you again for choosing us, and no stress about missing the payment!”

It continued: “We’d absolutely love to have you back anytime… we might even have to name a salad after you.”

In fact, the restaurant has been so inundated with support, that its website hasn't been able to cope.

Fans were full of praise not only for Robert's honesty, but also his kind gesture.

"As a small business owner, I can confirm that you just did the absolute most WONDERFUL thing for them by doing this!!" one remarked.

"Such a kind (and life-changing) gesture."

Another added: "That is the absolute cutest and most honest thing I’ve seen all day. You really did them a solid with that wonderful review, love it!"