Family says they were locked inside LA Fisherman restaurant for not tipping

Jasmine Marks and her family doesn’t have anything pleasant to say about La Fisherman Restaurant in Houston after they said they received bad service and then being locked inside the restaurant. Marks says the service wasn’t that great and was offended at the 17 percent gratuity calculated into the final bill their server brought to the table.

According to Click2Houston.com , Marks didn’t want to pay the 17 percent gratuity, which is the policy of the restaurant when more than five people are in one party. This caused the restaurant to lock her and her party inside the restaurant and call the police.

The gratuity policy was clearly marked on the restaurant’s menus. But Marks said when they questioned it the workers wouldn’t let her or her friends leave; she claims they locked the door and called the police.

“She was like, ‘You have an unsettled bill and ya’ll can’t leave until you pay it,’” Marks said. “We paid our bill for what we ate, we paid the bill.”

Marks said it was only the 17 percent tip they were questioning.

“She said, ‘That’s fine. If you don’t want to pay the gratuity we have HPD outside,’” Marks said. “I asked the police officer twice, maybe three times, is it against the law if we don’t pay the gratuity and he never gave me a straight answer.”

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The on-duty manager at La Fisherman Restaurant told KPRC Local 2 they usually don’t have a problem with people paying their gratuity, it but admitted they have called police for this type of issue before.