A conservative legal group is targeting Texas Roadhouse in a civil rights lawsuit, accusing the restaurant chain of hiring based on diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) practices.
America First Legal (AFL) filed a complaint with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, accusing Texas Roadhouse of violating the Civil Rights Act of 1964, the New York Post reports. AFL alleges that the company considers race and gender when selecting members for its Board of Directors, monitors employees’ race, gender, and ethnicity, and exposes the business to “reputational risk” because of its diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) policies.
“The evidence demonstrates that the Company’s hiring, promotion, and recruitment practices violate state and federal law,” the complaint states. “The evidence also demonstrates that the Company has prioritized unlawful diversity, equity, and inclusion programs and policies over shareholder value.”
AFL accuses Texas Roadhouse of acting with an “inappropriate disregard of your fiduciary duties to Texas Roadhouse and its shareholders.” However, in response to the lawsuit, Texas Roadhouse shared a chart in its 2024 10-K annual report
detailing the percentages of employees and managers who are women or people of color.The report states that the company considers DEI factors like gender and race when selecting nominees for its Board of Directors, alongside other criteria such as board experience and financial expertise. It also highlights professional development initiatives focused on identity, including a Women’s Leadership Summit and an African American Leadership Summit.
Texas Roadhouse emphasized its commitment to “attracting, retaining, engaging, recognizing, and developing a workforce that reflects the diversity of our guests.” But AFL argues that the company is acting with an “inappropriate disregard of your fiduciary duties to Texas Roadhouse and its shareholders.”
“Texas Roadhouse’s policies are a relic of an era where DEI contaminated American culture with the false belief that good intentions make discrimination okay,” AFL Counsel Will Scolinos said in a statement.
Texas Roadhouse joins Cracker Barrel as targets of AFL’s civil rights lawsuits. AFL’s legal challenges against companies supporting DEI practices align with President Donald Trump’s anti-DEI executive orders,
which prohibit federal agencies from contracting with firms that implement DEI policies. Companies like Target, Amazon, Disney, and Facebook have faced criticism for scaling back their DEI efforts. In contrast, others, like Costco and Apple, continue to resist shareholder pressure to abandon their initiatives.RELATED CONTENT: Black Business Month Unfolds Amid Trump Policy Threats, Entrepreneurial Spirit Unbothered