A Woman Was Asked To Leave A Family Restaurant Due To Her Attire, Which She Claims Was Deemed ‘Inappropriate.’ She Believes Her Race May Have Been A Factor In The Decision

Note: This story, originally reported in August 2021, is being republished.

Aireal Bonner recounted an incident where she felt unfairly treated by a Birmingham restaurant, alleging she was asked to leave because of her attire. She expressed skepticism that her clothing was the sole reason for her dismissal.

According to Bonner, she was requested to leave Southern Kitchen & Bar in Uptown after refusing to cover her crocheted top, which the restaurant deemed a violation of its dress code as it resembled a “bikini top.”

In a Facebook video shared by Bonner, she questioned the absence of a posted dress code notice. In response, the manager asserted that as a private business, the restaurant was not obligated to display its dress code publicly.

Although offered a t-shirt by another manager, Bonner declined to wear it and was subsequently asked to leave, with the manager threatening police intervention if she did not comply.

Bonner vented her frustration on Facebook, stating, “I was threatened with police action simply because I wanted to sit and eat in an outfit that I felt comfortable and happy in. There was no customer complaint that prompted the situation. This was purely the way that the ‘owner’ chose to run his business.”

Later, Bonner expressed doubts that her attire was the sole reason for her expulsion, suggesting that her appearance, characterized by Afro-centric styling, might have played a role.

Southern Kitchen and Bar acknowledged that Bonner’s top did not align with their attire policy but apologized for the untimely enforcement of the policy. They admitted that addressing the issue after she was seated was inappropriate and pledged to implement stricter protocols, including addressing such matters at the entrance.

Despite the apology, Bonner rejected it and urged others to leave negative reviews, prompting the removal of the establishment’s Yelp page.

“The apparent ‘apology’ statement for the TIMING on when I was confronted about a nonexistent dress code is as I said before…LAUGHABLE,” Bonner remarked.

In response to the incident, the Alabama Rally Against Injustice planned a sit-in protest at the restaurant, citing alleged inconsistencies in the restaurant’s enforcement of its dress code.

“Private businesses have the right to run their establishment how they see fit, but their discrimination will not be tolerated,” the group declared.
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Source: AL.com