Buffalo Wild Wings and four Black patrons have settled a lawsuit alleging that a White server in the Palmdale restaurant made a remark with racist undertones before demanding they pay or produce a credit card before she would serve them.
Attorneys for De’Andre L. Predom, Terrance Berry, Terry Brown and Darryl P. Douglas filed court papers this week with Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Rita Miller stating that the case was resolved.
According to the lawsuit, the four men went to the restaurant on 10th Street in Palmdale on Aug. 12, 2014 and reportedly waited until a table was available. After being seated, waitress Michelle Rossi took their drink orders. Predom requested a beeer and the other three asked for water. Rossi allegedly told them that they had to pay or give her a credit card in advance. The plaintiffs asked for an explanation and Rossi reportedly said: “I’m not going to pay for anybody’s meal. I’ve had you people run out on me before.”
After Berry told the server that they did not feel comfortable paying in advance, the suit alleged that Rossi “… became upset and walked away in an aggressive manner.” The four men reportedly walked to nearby tables and asked if similar demands were made of them.
“The customers at these tables, all of whom were Caucasian, not of color, advised plaintiffs that they had not been requested to do so,” the complaint stated. The group proceeded to complain to restaurant manager Isaac Duran who informed them that Rossi was adhering to Buffalo Wild Wings policy, and he refused to do anything. After the men told Duran that White guests said they were not treated the same way, Duran then reportedly apologized, offered the men gift cards of which they declined, and then the group left the restaurant.
A statement released by the attorneys for the group could not comment on any monetary terms, but said: “Given the worldwide spotlight on racial profiling, we hope what appears to be a wide spread practice of racial profiling in this region has been lessened.”
