A video shared on X has sparked debate after it showed a locksmith explaining his pricing to a customer locked out of a home, prompted discussion online. Re-shared by @TexasSpectator, the video was taken by a locksmith who recorded the conversation he had with a potential client.
The client said that he and his family were stranded outside of their home in an affluent neighborhood because they locked the keys inside the house. But when they contacted the locksmith and he shared his price for immediate service, the gentleman seemed to have changed his mind, appeared to choose to stay stranded for longer than to pay a little extra for immediate access to his home.
Foreingers lock themselves out of their affluent home and phone a locksmith.
— Texas Spectator (@TexasSpectator) August 2, 2026
He quoted the rates.
They said “come now.”
He shows up…
Them: “We never called you”
Reason? They were calling around for cheaper prices ?
The audacity is Olympic-level. Stop doing business with or… pic.twitter.com/cBsviZfQMf
As the video began, a man with a foreign accent can be clearly heard speaking to the locksmith about being locked out of his home with his family. The locksmith said he understood his plight and asked him if he would like him to come right away to solve the issue.
The client responded and asked how much he would charge for the service. That's when the locksmith broke down his service prices. He said, "It all depends. So if you want someone to be there within five minutes, then it's about $200 to let you in. If you wanna wait. . . between one hour and two hours, then it's about $135. . . $120."
Immediately, the customer asked for a discount. He said, "Is there a reduced price or something?" And the locksmith replied that he had just explained that to him with the pricing options. He repeated, "You wanna wait, it's less money. You want fast, it's more money. It's very simple."
A few moments later, when the locksmith arrived at the family's location in response to his request for service, the man did not respond. He didn't even lift his head to look at the locksmith. That's when the customer's daughter responded, "I think we're good, sorry."
Without saying it outright, the foreigners refused to agree to the premium price of $200 for faster service, despite living in an upscale neighborhood. So the locksmith said, "You just wanna save money and stay outside in the heat? You wanna save? You just called us. . . How much do you wanna pay my friend?" He continued, "You can finish with this and that's it. Easy. You're just gonna pay a little bit more. It's not like you can't afford it, you know. "
But despite his efforts to bargain with him, the man refused to communicate.
One X user wrote, "Don't do business unless they prepay...they're thieves. Want a Ferrari on a slipper budget."
Another person wrote this, "This is business 101. They’re haggling because they want shit for free or nearly free. Cheapest people on the planet that will shamelessly waste your time. If you’ve never run a business you won’t understand this."
The video drew mixed reactions on X. Some users sided with the locksmith, arguing that rush service commands a higher price, while others questioned the cost of the expedited fee.
The Daily Dot was unable to independently verify the circumstances shown in the video or the claims made by those involved. The reporting above is based on footage and statements shared in the viral X post.
