BEACHWOOD, Ohio — A manager at Bahama Breeze no longer works for the restaurant after a group claimed racial disrespect.
Darden Restaurants, which owns Bahama Breeze, released the following statement to FOX 8 News on Thursday:
“We clearly fell short of delivering great service to our guests. The manager involved no longer works for us because they mistreated a guest, which is inconsistent with our values. We have spoken with several members of the party to personally apologize and invite them back in order to provide an exceptional Bahama Breeze experience. “
A group of women were having dinner at the restaurant in Beachwood on Tuesday night. They say the trouble started when some of them were trying to leave while others were still waiting on their orders.
They say the restaurant manager then called the Orange Village Police Department and when officers arrived, the women say they had to show their receipts and prove that they paid.
Protestors gathered outside of the restaurant on Wednesday saying some of the employees mistreated and racially profiled the group of African-American customers.
According to the police report, the restaurant employees told officers that the group of about 40 women “became upset because it was taking too long to receive their bills.” They claim the women “threatened to leave without paying.”
However, the women disagree and claim they were harassed and treated as if they “couldn’t pay their bills.”
