The owner’s daughter of Houston’s Fajitas Mexican Grill shared surveillance footage after a Jan. 12 visit allegedly showed a woman placing hair on the table and a companion moving it onto a plate to report to staff. The restaurant initially comped the meal but, after reviewing full security footage, concluded the act appeared deliberate. Management posted the video on social media to alert other small, family-run restaurants and to defend employees from fraudulent complaints.
Houston Restaurant Posts Surveillance Video After Couple Allegedly Plants Hair to Get Free Meal
Houston Restaurant Speaks Out After Security Video Reveals Couple's Alleged Hair-Planting Scam
A Houston restaurant has gone public after surveillance footage appeared to show a couple deliberately placing hair on their food in what the business says was an attempt to secure a free meal.
The clip, recorded Monday, Jan. 12, inside Fajitas Mexican Grill, shows a woman pulling hair from her own head and setting it on the table. Seconds later, the man across from her appears to move the hair onto his plate before calling a server over to report it.
Staff Suspicion, Then Confirmation
When the restaurant owner’s daughter, Laisha Ramirez, reviewed the footage, staff concerns were confirmed. Ramirez said the server had already been suspicious because no kitchen staff with long hair were on duty that day and no employee’s hair color matched what appears in the video. Despite those doubts, the restaurant initially comped the couple’s meal.
StoryfulViral video shows Houston-area couple put hair in food at restaurant.
After a full review of the security footage, management concluded the act appeared intentional and decided to post the video on social media. The post quickly drew widespread attention and launched conversations about customer fraud and the pressure such schemes put on small, family-run restaurants.
"It was intentional," Ramirez said when asked why she shared the footage. "I didn’t want them to get away with going to another restaurant. A lot of local restaurants are family-owned. We didn’t want them to get away with anything, and if they have done this in the past, we don’t want them to continue hurting these small restaurants."
Ramirez emphasized that independent eateries often operate on thin margins and rely on trust between customers and staff. While many restaurants quietly absorb occasional losses, she said her family’s business felt compelled to speak out both to protect employees and to warn other owners.
PEOPLE contacted Fajitas Mexican Grill for comment but did not receive an immediate response.
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