The conservative legal group pressuring Cracker Barrel over diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) has now set its sights on Texas Roadhouse.
America First Legal (AFL) has filed a complaint with the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission alleging that some of the steakhouse chain’s policies discriminate against white men.
The group points to company materials that say Texas Roadhouse strives to attract a diverse workforce, wherein it defines diversity as female and BIPOC (Black, indigenous and people of color) employees.
AFL also called out Texas Roadhouse programs that it says exclude white men, such as a Women’s Leadership Summit and an African American Leadership Summit.
Louisville-based Texas Roadhouse is the largest casual-dining concept in the U.S. by sales, and has been among the best-performing chains in the industry for years. Its restaurants are known for their high-quality food and lively atmoshpere.
The company had not responded to a request for comment as of publication time.
AFL was founded by Stephen Miller, President Trump’s deputy chief of staff, and has aggressively gone after DEI policies in both the public and private sector.
Late last month, it leveled a similar argument against Cracker Barrel. The Lebanon, Tennessee-based company was the first restaurant chain to come under public fire over DEI.
The Trump administration has been working to dismantle DEI initiatives through executive action and other measures since the president took office in January. It argues that DEI programs, which aim to provide equal opportunities and representation for marginalized groups, are discriminatory.
The crusade has had an impact. A number of companies, including Meta, Walmart, Disney and Target, have scaled back DEI goals and programs in recent months.
In the restaurant world, McDonald’s in January said it will stop setting goals for representation in hiring and will no longer require suppliers to sign DEI commitments. It also changed the name of its diversity team to the global inclusion team.
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