Restaurant to pay $300K+ after allegedly denying service to children with disabilities

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WKRN) — A Tennessee restaurant has agreed to a six-figure settlement regarding allegations it discriminated against children with disabilities in violation of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).

According to the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Bad Daddy’s Burger Bar in Murfreesboro allegedly refused to seat and serve a group of parents and their children who use wheelchairs in town for a youth wheelchair basketball tournament, claiming they were a fire hazard.

Title III of the ADA prohibits public accommodations, such as restaurants, from discriminating against people on the basis of a disability, or their association with an individual with a disability, in the full and equal enjoyment of the goods or services offered.

Good Times Restaurants, which owns Bad Daddy’s Burger Bar, has now agreed to a $352,000 settlement, according to the U.S. Department of Justice. Eight different families will receive $34,000 each from the restaurant, the DOJ said. Good Times will also pay an $80,000 civil penalty resulting from the legal action.

In addition to the monetary relief under the settlement agreement, Good Times will also be required to adopt new ADA compliance measures, including new policies at its restaurants and ADA compliance training for its employees, the U.S. Attorney’s Office announced in a release.

According to the DOJ, the parents offered to sit in separate groups, even though the restaurant was less than half full at the time. Multiple other patrons also reportedly walked out of the restaurant after observing the conduct of the restaurant employees toward the parents and children. The group was able to eat at another Murfreesboro restaurant without issue, the U.S. Attorney’s Office said.

“Children using wheelchairs should be able to eat at restaurants just like anybody else,” U.S. Attorney Henry C. Leventis said. “We are committed to protecting the civil rights of children with disabilities, including the right to be free from discrimination by restaurants and other public accommodations. The settlement announced today does just that for the children denied service by Bad Daddy’s.”

The DOJ noted this settlement comes just after the 34th anniversary of the ADA. It was passed on July 26, 1990. The DOJ also noted the civil claims settled by the settlement agreement are allegations only, and no determination of liability has been made.

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