Keisha Lance Bottoms Says She Was ‘Turned Away’ From Dining At A Restaurant Because Of Her Attire

Source: Creative Services / iOne Digital

Former Atlanta mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms was at the center of a restaurant dress code controversy this past week.

On April 15, the 52-year-old Democrat took to Twitter to air out a few grievances about the Capital Grille restaurant’s wish-washy dress code policy. Bottoms claimed she was “turned away” from the ritzy fine dining establishment because she was wearing “leggings.” A worker at the restaurant argued that her clothing violated their no “gym attire” policy.

In a follow-up tweet, Bottoms hinted that she may have been singled out by restaurant staff, given then another customer wearing leggings entered the Capital Grille as she was leaving and may have been allowed to dine.

The former Atlanta mayor wrote:

“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,”

Bottoms tagged a photo of the Capital Grille’s dress code policy along with her tweet that read:

“Polite Notice — For the comfort of all guests and to better deliver on our promise of a refined atmosphere, proper dress is required. Thank you for not wearing: gym attire, sweatpants, tank tops, hats, clothing with offensive language or images, exposed undergarments.”

Social media detectives instantly sprung into action and dug up photos of past customers who were allowed to eat at the restaurant. Some were clearly violating the dress code policy.

“Hmmm. Look. Two women wearing leggings at night at CG,” wrote one person on Twitter. “I’ve eaten at the CG in California and worn shorts and Flip flops and in the winter leggings and uggs without an issue. I think what the mayor is saying is there is not consistency in denying service based on attire.”

Another social media user commented:

“That ‘Polite Notice’ means nothing. Tights alone do not equal gym attire nor do they specifically mention tights in this obscure “policy”. Seems like we are having an issue with the policing of black women’s bodies again. Especially if someone else dressed similarly wasn’t denied.”

Representatives from the Capital Grille have yet to respond to the incident.

Sadly,  Bottoms’ story is an unfortunate reality for many Black patrons. In March 2021, a group of Black women looking to dine at Cincinnati’s Copa was discriminated against by the restaurant’s Black owner because of their hair. Similarly, in 2020, a woman from Baltimore complained that she and her son were turned away from the Ouzo Bay restaurant after the establishment’s white manager informed her that her young son’s athletic wear didn’t comply with their dress code. Meanwhile, a little white boy wearing a similar outfit was dining with his family nearby. After the video went viral, Ouzo Bay changed its dress code policy and issued an apology to the family.

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