Woman Kicked Out Of Alabama Restaurant Over Her Outfit, Claims Her Race Played A Role

Please note that we are republishing this story, which first gained attention in August 2021.

Aireal Bonner expressed that she was “rudely mistreated” by a restaurant in Birmingham, claiming she was expelled from the venue due to her outfit. She expressed skepticism that her clothing was the actual reason for her removal.

Bonner was asked to leave Southern Kitchen & Bar in Uptown after she declined to cover her crocheted top, which the restaurant deemed a “bikini top” that breached its dress code, with a shirt.

In a video shared on Facebook, when she inquired about the dress code notice, the manager informed her that the dress code does not need to be displayed since the restaurant is a private establishment.

Another manager offered her a t-shirt, but she declined to wear it. Subsequently, she was asked to leave, with the manager warning that police would be called if she did not vacate the premises.

In her Facebook post, Bonner stated: “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.”

Bonner later reiterated her doubts about her clothing being the reason for her ejection.

She told CBS 42: “My clothing was an excuse to not have me dine there. I think the biggest issue with my appearance is that I look very Afro-centric. My hair is an Afro texture. The way that I dress is Afro-centric. So I believe that because they can’t directly say things like ‘We don’t like the color of your skin, we don’t like the way that your hair looks,’ my clothing was just used as an excuse.”

Southern Kitchen and Bar released a statement on its Facebook page asserting that Bonner’s top was “not consistent with our appropriate attire policy.”

The restaurant issued an apology, stating that the “attempt to adhere to company policy was poorly timed” because the staff confronted her only after she had taken a seat, rather than when she first arrived.

“We regret interrupting Ms. Bonner’s dinner and recognize that this would make anyone feel uneasy,” the statement explained, noting that they are “implementing stricter protocols” for enforcing their policy, which includes addressing concerns at the entrance.

“We have made and will keep making efforts to ensure our restaurant is a welcoming space for everyone,” the restaurant added.

Bonner declined the apology and urged people to flood the business with negative reviews, resulting in the removal of the restaurant’s Yelp page.

“The so-called ‘apology’ regarding the TIMING of my confrontation over a nonexistent dress code is, as I mentioned earlier…LAUGHABLE,” Bonner expressed.

The group Alabama Rally Against Injustice has organized a sit-in protest at the restaurant for Saturday, asserting that there are photos of other women in similar attire on the restaurant’s social media accounts.

“While private businesses can operate as they choose, we will not tolerate their discrimination,” the group stated.

Sources: AL.com