Woman goes to Texas Roadhouse with family and orders drinks. Then came allegations of racial profiling: 'Everything changed' – We Got This Covered
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ELAYSANNDRIA (@elayssanndria) via TikTok, Image by JeepersMedia, CC BY 2.0.
ELAYSANNDRIA (@elayssanndria) via TikTok, Image by JeepersMedia, CC BY 2.0.

Woman goes to Texas Roadhouse with family and orders drinks. Then came allegations of racial profiling: ‘Everything changed’

Some commenters say the server just followed the rules.

A TikTok video posted by creator ELAYSANNDRIA (@elayssanndria) is drawing attention after she alleged her family experienced racial profiling during a visit to Texas Roadhouse, prompting debate online about responsible alcohol service and customer treatment. The creator did not identify which Texas Roadhouse location she visited, and her allegations have not been independently verified. As of publication, Texas Roadhouse has not publicly commented on what happened.

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According to ELAYSANNDRIA’s TikTok, which has been viewed more than 40k times and includes a lengthy caption, the visit began without incident. ELAYSANNDRIA, who is Black, said the family’s server, identified as Abby, greeted them warmly, introduced herself, and took their order. ELAYSANNDRIA wrote that her family initially requested water after spending time at a pool.

Later, she said, the group decided to order alcoholic beverages with dinner. “That’s when everything changed,” ELAYSANNDRIA wrote in the caption.

The server allegedly questioned where the group should drink alcohol

After ordering alcohol, ELAYSANNDRIA alleges the manager of the establishment approached the table and questioned whether the group should be ordering alcohol because they had mentioned being at a pool earlier. In video footage of the exchange, ELAYSANNDRIA questioned why employees were concerned about “adults” ordering drinks.

“She just judge me she like profile me when I first came here,” she said in the recording. “All I asked her for was some water.”

@elayssandria

Story time. So my family and I went to Texas Roadhouse expecting a good meal. We were greeted by our server, Abby. She was friendly, introduced herself, wrote her name on a napkin—it started off great. She asked what we wanted to drink. I told her we’d just been poolside, so for now we’d just take some water with lemon. I jokingly said, “H2O.” She looked confused, so I said, “Water.” No big deal. She brought our waters and salads. Then we changed our minds and decided we wanted to order drinks with dinner. That’s when everything changed. Next thing we know, the manager, Emma, comes to our table questioning us about drinking. Mind you, nobody knew if anyone had actually been drinking, how much, or when. Simply saying we’d been at the pool somehow turned into us being treated like suspects. Here’s my question: If you’re a restaurant that serves alcohol, are you questioning every customer who orders a drink? Or was there something different about us? When we calmly asked Emma why we were being questioned, she couldn’t give us an answer. Instead of de-escalating the situation, she told us to leave. But here’s the part that doesn’t make sense… If we had truly done something wrong, why did the restaurant still prepare and give us our food? That alone tells me the situation could have been handled much differently. Unfortunately, by then the damage was done. My steak was overcooked, we never received the condiments that make the meal enjoyable, and the entire experience was ruined. I have video footage of the interaction if Texas Roadhouse Corporate would like to review exactly what happened. I actually contacted corporate first because I believe businesses deserve the opportunity to investigate and make things right before the internet gets involved. This isn’t about getting anyone fired. It’s about accountability, professionalism, and making sure no other family leaves a restaurant feeling embarrassed, confused, or singled out the way we did. Texas Roadhouse, the ball is in your court .*#TexasRoadhouse * #CustomerService * #RestaurantExperience * #GuestExperience * #StoryTime

♬ LET ME BE – The Second Voice

The conversation escalated as family members challenged the reasons for their questioning. At one point, someone can be heard saying, “Bring the manager back over here.”

Another person stated, “We just never had anything like this happen ever in life.” During the exchange, an employee can be heard telling the group, “I’m gonna ask you to leave.” The video ends with ELAYSANNDRIA alleging, “That’s the crazy part, racial profiling.”

In her caption, ELAYSANNDRIA said she first contacted Texas Roadhouse’s corporate office before sharing the incident publicly because she believed the company should have an opportunity to investigate. She also questioned whether every customer who orders alcohol receives similar scrutiny or whether “there was something different about us.”

ELAYSANNDRIA denied intoxication

In a follow-up comment responding to viewers, ELAYSANNDRIA clarified several details after receiving questions online. She said no one in the group was intoxicated and that “no one had been drinking anything other than water by the pool, maybe a spritzer.” She also said the family ultimately chose to leave rather than being removed from the restaurant.

According to ELAYSANNDRIA, the employee identified as Emma was an area manager rather than the restaurant’s general manager. She said the restaurant manager later apologized, ensured the family received its food and invited them to return. She also said Texas Roadhouse’s corporate office apologized and provided several coupons.

Texas Roadhouse serves beer, wine and cocktails at many of its locations. The company also states that alcohol service follows applicable state and local laws, including refusing service to visibly intoxicated guests where appropriate.

The incident sparked divided reactions in the video’s comments. One commenter wrote, “Texas Roadhouse has a very strict responsible alcohol service policy. Being loud, aggressive, etc are things servers are trained to look for among other things. She could lose her job, get a $500 fine, or even get jail time for serving you if you’re already past legal limit.”

While many states impose penalties on establishments or employees who unlawfully serve visibly intoxicated patrons, the specific fines and criminal penalties cited in that comment vary by jurisdiction. Another commenter disagreed with the explanation, writing, “Please. My friends and I went to a roadhouse 9 years ago PLASTERED. They most definitely profiled these ladies.” Opinions expressed are those of ELAYSANNDRIA and the commenters.


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William Kennedy
William Kennedy is a full-time freelance content writer and journalist in Eugene, OR. William covered true crime, among other topics for Grunge.com. He also writes about live music for the Eugene Weekly, where his beat also includes arts and culture, food, and current events. He lives with his wife, daughter, and two cats who all politely accommodate his obsession with Doctor Who and The New Yorker.