Houston Restaurant Holds Customers Hostage Over Tip
Friday, May 04, 2012 - Rob Houglum LeadLinkMedia.com
After a woman and five friends didn't leave 17-percent tip on their meal at a Houston, Texas restaurant called 'La Fisherman,' the manager locked them inside and called the cops.
The girl and her friends claim the trattoria staff did not deserve the 17-percent tip needed of parties of five or even more. However when it comes down to this case, who is right legally? Judge Napolitano debated the legal consequences in the case on today's Fox and Buddies.
Napolitano said there isn't any categorical court ruling on this because the concept of adding tips is relatively new, but he explained that one debate manufactured by the restaurant could be that it wasn't a tip, it is a surcharge that they were informed of beforehand.
From the other viewpoint, he announced, "It has been a custom and convention in this country for hundreds of years ; you like the service, you leave a tip. You don't like the service, you just settle up and go, and the quantity of the tip is to your own choosing."
Legally, he revealed the diner can't arrest these people and hold them against their will. When it comes to locking the customers inside the restaurant, the judge claims that's called fake imprisonment, so the woman and her friends can technically sue the restaurant.
After a woman and five friends didn't leave 17-percent tip on their meal at a Houston, Texas restaurant called 'La Fisherman,' the manager locked them inside and called the cops.