ATLANTA — Former Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms claims she was turned away from a restaurant on Friday. According to the former city leader on Twitter, Bottoms was refused service at Capital Grille at Perimeter Mall because she was wearing leggings.
She took to Twitter at 3:31 p.m. on Friday, revealing that she was allegedly turned away. The social media post quickly began accruing likes, retweets, and comments.
Bottoms later returned to Twitter and said that she asked to sit in the restaurant's bar area and was denied entry. She then allegedly observed another woman enter the restaurant without an issue. She did not comment on if the other woman was similarly dressed.
"Odd that a restaurant in a mall parking lot turns away customers in 'mall' attire," the former mayor said. "Asked if I could sit in the bar area and was told, 'No.'"
"Rules are the rules, just wonder if the woman who came in immediately after me, who I did not see come back out, was also denied service," the tweet said.
The Capital Grille's website contains a "polite notice" to prospective customers concerning their dress code.
"For the comfort of all guests and to better deliver on our promise of a refined atmosphere, proper dress is required. Thank you for not wearing: gym attire, sweatpants, tank tops, hats, clothing with offensive language or images, exposed undergarments," the notice said.
Bottoms, who entered office in Jan. 2018, announced in May 2021 that she would not be seeking re-election. Shortly after the end of her term, Bottoms announced the next chapter in her professional life -- a "dream job" as a political commentator for CNN.
11Alive has reached out to Capital Grille for comment, but has not yet received a response.