The subcontractors that helped build a Center City steakhouse feel that they got a raw deal -- having never gotten paid for their work.
The remodeled Del Frisco's Double Eagle Steakhouse at 15th and Chestnut Streets opened late last year. It was lauded for it's "Texas-sized" location and tasty food.
But, the men who built the chophouse had a beef with the owners -- they're missing a paycheck.
Fed up, the unpaid subcontractors fought back against Del Frisco's by organizing protests outside the restaurant's posh location Wednesday.
What do they want? To get paid, they told NBC 10 News Wednesday night.
Lorient Construction is in the middle of the dispute. The Illinois company was in charge of the project and allegedly never paid some of the subcontracted workers.
Del Frisco's officials claim Lorient was paid more than $7 million to cover the subcontracted work, but never followed through.
Local
Breaking news and the stories that matter to your neighborhood.
"We paid Lorient Construction the money they were due at the end of the day and we don't know where that money went," said the restaurant's general manager. "We're trying to resolve that with everybody involved."
There are 15 different subcontractors that had some part in the construction project who claim that they have yet to be paid. They took action and sued Lorient and Del Frisco's for $6.5-million in unpaid work.
Casey Duffy claimed he is owed $850,000 for demolition work he did on the property. He has helped organize fellow subcontractors to take part in the protest against the steakhouse.
"They have a $14-million restaurant that is comparable to the $14-million restaurant at 7th & Chestnut and is nicer than their $16-million restaurant in New York... they only paid $7 million for it?" questioned Duffy.
Duffy and others don't buy that Lorient is entirely to blame.
"Now they're hiding behind this out-of-town general contractor and trying to blame him," Duffy said.
Del Frisco's for their part said that they are trying to help these contractors but that the protests are counterproductive.
There is no indication right now when anyone is going to get served what they want.
