Major Restaurant Chain Faces Civil Rights Complaint For Allegedly Hiring Based On DEI

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From “100percentfedup.com”

President Donald Trump entered office with a clear mandate to roll back the “diversity, equity, and inclusion” standards that had long promoted the interests of certain groups at the expense of others.

As a result, businesses that continue to prioritize DEI programs are finding themselves on the receiving end of public pressure campaigns and, in the case of one restaurant chain, a potentially serious legal challenge.

America First Legal, a group responsible for an array of anti-DEI lawsuits and investigations, recently took aim at Texas Roadhouse, according to the Daily Caller:

AFL said the company’s recruitment and promotion practices favor demographic targets and that it tracks employees’ race, gender and ethnicity to meet internal diversity goals. The group also said that such practices expose the company to “reputational risk” and potential shareholder lawsuits.

“The Company has prioritized unlawful DEI programs and policies over shareholder value,” the complaint said.

In its 2024 10-K filing, Texas Roadhouse reaffirmed its commitment to a diverse workforce, saying it aims to build a team that “mirrors the diversity of our guests.” The company also disclosed demographic breakdowns of its workforce, highlighting percentages of employees and managers who are women or people of color.

The complaint highlights that DEI considerations, including race and gender, factor into board nominee decisions — alongside traditional criteria like financial expertise and governance experience — as outlined in the company’s 2024 sustainability report.

The matter soon sparked social media commentary:

The New York Post also covered the recent complaint:

The complaint, filed with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission by America First Legal (AFL), accused Texas Roadhouse of using race and gender as factors in determining who should be appointed to its Board of Directors, tracking employees’ race, gender and ethnicity, as well as running “reputational risk” to its business due to its DEI policies. AFL is alleging that Texas Roadhouse is in violation of the Civil Rights Act of 1964.

“The evidence demonstrates that the Company’s hiring, promotion, and recruitment practices violate state and federal law. The evidence also demonstrates that the Company has prioritized unlawful diversity, equity, and inclusion programs and policies over shareholder value,” the complaint alleged.

The report continued:

Cracker Barrel, another restaurant chain, is also facing an AFL civil rights complaint over its DEI policies.

The complaint alleged that Cracker Barrel’s “Business Resource Groups” discriminate on the basis of race and sex by only offering employment benefits to workers who fit certain demographic criteria.

Texas Roadhouse did not respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment.

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