Outcry over parking lot at very popular mall where simple mistake outlined on easy-to-miss sign can end up costing you HUNDREDS of dollars

By ALYSSA GUZMAN, US NEWS REPORTER Published: 18:20, 5 April 2026 | Updated: 18:20, 5 April 2026 Visitors to a San Antonio mall are infuriated by a simple mistake that ends up costing them hundreds of dollars, as they warn of predatory towing companies.  Those visiting University Square at DeZavala have to be careful where they park, because otherwise they might end up with their car towed away, even if they just pop into a shop for a mere 15 minutes.  Michelle Salinas had stopped into a Taiwanese bakery, 85°C Bakery Cafe, around Christmas last year to pick up treats for her sister before heading to the Rio Grande Valley, she told MySA.  She had only been in the shop for 15 minutes when she noticed her car had been towed. Salinas had parked in the IHOP parking lot due to the parking lot being full, which proved to be her first mistake.  'Apparently, they [the towing company] just park somewhere and watch. The minute someone leaves their car, they wait for them to walk into a business and tow the cars,' she told the outlet.  She's not the only one to have found out the hard way that the popular mall keeps a strict enforcement of the parking rules, as plenty of others have found themselves in the same predicament as Salinas.  There are signs posted in the IHOP parking lot, alongside parking blocks that have 'IHOP ONLY' printing in black ink along the perimeter spaces.  However, those parking in the middle spaces can easily miss the few red signs in the parking lot that read, 'Towing enforced at all times. IHOP customers & employees in designated spaces only. No after-hours sparking. No for-sale vehicles. Unauthorized vehicles will be towed at owner's or operator's expense.'  One portion of the parking lot at University Square at DeZavala strictly enforces its tow zone, leaving many customers with their cars taken and a bill worth hundreds to get it back  The IHOP parking lot has a few small red signs that face inward, informing drivers that the spaces are for IHOP customers and staff only. However, for those parking in a middle spot and not along the perimeter, the sign is easy to miss  Salinas complained that the signs were only printed on one side, facing inward toward the parking lot. Those coming from the outside are not informed.  Salinas eventually found the sign, informing her to contact Bexar Towing. She then had to find someone to drive her 11 miles to get her car back, she told MySA.  She found herself having to wait in line once getting to the place, and it cost her $235 to retrieve her car, she said.  The angry customer took to TikTok to warn others to be careful, especially around the holidays.  'Merry Christmas, I guess,' she wrote in the caption.  Another person posted a video showing a Ram truck towing an SUV.  'If this was you, parked at IHOP on November 1 [2025] @ 1.16pm, he was just looking for someone to tow,' the user accused.  Some days, especially around the holidays, customers are increasingly finding it hard to find spaces as the plaza becomes more and more popular.  Michelle Salinas had parked in the lot while trying to get to a bakery when the rest of the parking lot was full. When she came out 15 minutes later, her car was gone. She had to get someone to drive her 11 miles to the place and then pay a $235 bill to get her vehicle back  The perimeter spaces also have IHOP ONLY printed in black ink on the curb  A woman who goes by Cococharles9 on TikTok told MySA that she noticed two vehicles being towed in January from the lot, and agreed with Salinas that the towing company is just waiting to pounce.  'Apparently it’s a frequent issue at that specific location,' she told the outlet.  'The tow truck drivers were waiting in that lot. Once they saw the customers walking towards the stores, they would pull in and run to place the tow.'   Many TikTok commenters complained there wasn't enough parking for the ever-popular Teso Life, an Asian department store, causing them to spill into other stores' spots.  'There wasn't any parking for anything today!' one wrote. 'Fully taken up!'  'It's the worst since Teso Life opened,' another wrote.  Another said they were aware of the towing problem and found themselves constantly circling the parking lot to avoid it.  'We have seen them enforce that section of IHOP, so we circle around. We sometimes have to park near Einstein's Bagels,' they said under Salinas' video.  Many said the towing company waits to pounce on unsuspecting customers trying to get to another store, while other said the signs are there for a reason  Others pointed out that they were breaking the rules and that 'people should read signs.'  'Wait… I can’t use private property for my own use… that’s wild!' one joked.   The Daily Mail has reached out to Bexar Towing, IHOP, and Glazer Properties, which owns University Square, for comment.   No comments have so far been submitted. Why not be the first to send us your thoughts, or debate this issue live on our message boards. By posting your comment you agree to our house rules. Do you want to automatically post your MailOnline comments to your Facebook Timeline? Your comment will be posted to MailOnline as usual. Do you want to automatically post your MailOnline comments to your Facebook Timeline? Your comment will be posted to MailOnline as usual We will automatically post your comment and a link to the news story to your Facebook timeline at the same time it is posted on MailOnline. To do this we will link your MailOnline account with your Facebook account. We’ll ask you to confirm this for your first post to Facebook. You can choose on each post whether you would like it to be posted to Facebook. Your details from Facebook will be used to provide you with tailored content, marketing and ads in line with our Privacy Policy.