Can I be banned from a sports bar/restaurant?
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Can I be banned from a sports bar/restaurant?
A server at a restaurant lied and said I was rude to her, went and told her GM, who in turn called her regional manager/ The GM proceeded to tell my roommate, who is a GM at one of their other locations, that I am no longer allowed in there anymore.
Asked on September 20, 2011 under Business Law, Ohio
Answers:
SJZ, Member, New York Bar / FreeAdvice Contributing Attorney
Answered 13 years ago | Contributor
Businesses, including restaurants and bars, have the right to not serve or do business with people. If it's a place of public accomodation--like a bar--it cannot refuse people on the basis of protected categories, such as their race or disability; however, even places of public accomodation have the right to ban people who are disruptive or rude to either staff or other guests.
The fact that the server may have lied does not change the right of the bar to ban you--it is acting on the information before it. Furthermore, since "rude" is a matter of opinion, it is almost impossible to prove (or disprove) whether you were rude or not--what one person considers rude, another person may not. Thus, for example, it is possible that she truthfully said you were rude to her, because she feels that your behavior was rude even if you feel that it was not.
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