Former Atlanta mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms has called out a Capital Grille in Georgia after she said she was turned away from the restaurant for wearing leggings.
(Wikimedia Commons)
Keisha Lance Bottoms during her term as mayor of Atlanta.
“I was just turned away at @CapitalGrille at Perimeter Mall because I have on leggings,” she tweeted Friday.
When someone pointed out the restaurant dress code, Lance Bottoms said it was “odd” that the restaurant would not allow what she called “mall attire” when they are located at a mall.
“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,” she wrote.
It didn’t take long for social media users to start commenting that the rules aren’t equally and consistently applied to all at The Capital Grille.
“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,” actor Daniel Newman tweeted.
The actor, who is white, went on to say that he has dined at the restaurant many times while wearing a tank top, T-shirt or gym shorts.
“Never had a problem getting a seat I guess my clothes looked whiter,” he said.
On the restaurant’s website, it says that “for the comfort of all guests and to better deliver on our promise of a refined atmosphere, proper dress is required.” Clothing such as gym attire, tank tops, sweatpants, hats, and items “with offensive language” is not allowed, according to the website.
Bottoms became Atlanta’s mayor in 2018, did not seek reelection and is now a CNN political commentator.
We all know that racism, disparities in treatment and double standards apply in virtually every aspect of American society. Fortunately, our cell phone video cameras and social media sharing lays bare what frequently remained in the shadows.
What happened to Lance Bottoms can happen to any one of us. We must all remain vigilant about reporting these experiences to hold perpetrators accountable, be they individuals, governments or major corporations.
The Capital Grille owes Lance Bottoms an apology.