Capital Grille Under Fire For Turning Keisha Lance Bottoms Away For Attire
Capital Grille, an upscale chain of steakhouses, is coming under fire on social media after former Atlanta mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms revealed one of the restaurants turned her away because of her attire, but many feel it was actually related to her skin color.
Bottoms took to Twitter to reveal that she was turned away from the location at Perimeter Mall in Atlanta on Friday, allegedly because she was wearing leggings, which she found odd because she was wearing “mall” attire and noted another woman who followed her in seemed to potentially get service, even though she was dressed similarly.
I was just turned away at @CapitalGrille at Perimeter Mall because I have on leggings. __♀️
— Keisha Lance Bottoms (@KeishaBottoms) April 15, 2022
Odd that a restaurant in a mall parking lot turns away customers in “mall” attire. Asked if I could sit in the bar area and was told, “No.”. Rules are the rules, just wonder if the woman who came in immediately after me, who I did not see come back out, was also denied service. https://t.co/4GRq97cwGP
— Keisha Lance Bottoms (@KeishaBottoms) April 15, 2022
Following the tweet, others quickly noted photos that had been posted of other patrons at the chain’s restaurants where they were dressed not according to a dress code, indicating they felt there was another reason Bottoms was turned away.
The Capital Grille sends a very subtle message of the kind of clientele they want. A quick search of their profile going back 5 years and not a single black or brown face. Even the photos of hands pouring wine are specifically showing ⚪️ hands. There R no accidents in marketing. pic.twitter.com/44CAnOyoej
— Carlton Hall (@CarltonWHallESQ) April 16, 2022
Many noted examples of men and women in leggings and other attire that wasn’t as formal, stating that those patrons all were White, whereas Bottoms is Black.
These old white dudes can wear ballcaps and sweatshirts to Capital Grille but @KeishaBottoms can't wear leggings… got it. _ pic.twitter.com/idkO4liNr3
— Mom Who Reads _ (@AnitaNotherBook) April 16, 2022
My Bishop was turned away at the Capital Grille in Charlotte wearing a nice Ralph Lauren Sweat suit while this lady sat at the bar. The manager said “that’s how ladies dress”…___♀️ pic.twitter.com/iWQxZX8PO6
— Denise Williams (@Me_In_3D) April 16, 2022
Another white boy at The Capital Grille wearing athletic attire. pic.twitter.com/hxl2qyJ84s
— Mom Who Reads _ (@AnitaNotherBook) April 16, 2022
It didn’t take me long to find photos of white women in leggings tagging themselves at The Capital Grille. pic.twitter.com/TwH0D28bxK
— THEE Not Today Colonizer | #LandBack (@WolvesforKamala) April 16, 2022
People are actually defending Capital Grille for having a "dress code." Trust me, as a white lady who loves leggings, they don't have a dress code against leggings.
Plenty of picture proof in this thread as well. https://t.co/HS5I1R4DFO
— Tracie, NASM CPT Ⓥ _ (@TPDMomof3) April 16, 2022
BLACK Democrat Mayor of Atlanta (my Friend) Keisha Lance Bottoms was refused service at @CapitalGrille …
But WHITE Folk in Gym clothes and T-shirts are totally fine at Capital grille pic.twitter.com/HDYkZRuqSs
— Daniel Newman (@DanielNewman) April 16, 2022
Others shared their thoughts on the restaurant, including former employees who stated the company did have a culture that implied a dress code but noted it was only enforced on patrons who were Persons of Color.
Wow, I never would have thought that “wearing yoga pants while Black” would ever be a thing. Yet, here we are. And I’m not sure why, but it’s not because Capital Grille is a “really nice restaurant.” pic.twitter.com/jdkwDScbhM
— blair channing rae (@iWriterGirl) April 16, 2022
What a joke – Ive gone to the capital grille in basically pj’s. It’s the mcdonalds of ‘nice’ steak houses https://t.co/2BwsmovcSy
— Ash Shimabukuro (@AshShimabukuro) April 15, 2022
Worked at Capital Grille for a summer. Remember vividly a retrograde company culture (unspoken old school "values"), specifically a dress code that was selectively enforced on POC. The owner's teenage son would come in and dine in basketball shorts all the time. https://t.co/2XBFMkCCuY
— Brian Ostrander (@brianostreports) April 16, 2022
A tweet from the company itself back in 2018 also resurfaced, where they replied to a question on Twitter about their dress code and actually stated that they didn’t have one, though most of their patrons did dress in business casual attire.
We do not have a dress code, Jericho, however most of our guests dress in business casual.
— The Capital Grille (@CapitalGrille) September 12, 2018
The company has not made a statement regarding Bottoms’ experience or the commentary that has circulated online about the incident.
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