Racial discrimination affects all socio-economic groups, and while travelers can, unfortunately, face mistreatment for reasons beyond their control, incidents involving celebrities often highlight the issue. These racial concerns are particularly troubling when they occur in areas with significant Black populations and Black-owned businesses.

Recently, an incident involving T-Boz and a popular restaurant in Chicago has drawn public attention. Here’s what we know about the situation.

Why T-Boz Called Out A Chicago Restaurant

Tionne Watkins, better known as T-Boz from the global music sensation TLC, took to social media to share a troubling experience. She claims that she and her crew were racially profiled in Northbrook, Illinois. According to T-Boz’s Instagram post, the incident occurred about a week ago while they were visiting Ruth’s Chris Steakhouse in the area, following Highland Park’s Ravinia Festival in late August.

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A post shared by T-Boz (@therealtboz)

T-Boz described that, after sitting down and ordering their meal, the manager approached the group with an unusual request: T-Boz had to remove her hat. She felt uncomfortable complying due to the state of her hair underneath the hat and was told she would have to eat at the bar. This was only the beginning of what she described as a problematic situation.

Corporate And Racial Context

Ruth’s Chris Steakhouse does have a dress code, which is outlined on its website. The dress code includes rules for business casual attire and specifies: “Kindly remove all hats when entering the restaurant. Guests wearing ball caps are asked to dine in the bar/lounge.” While the dress code is clearly stated, the circumstances surrounding T-Boz’s experience raise concerns.

In her Instagram post caption, T-Boz wrote, “I don’t expect special treatment, but I expect the RULES to make sense… So make it make sense.” She noted that two other patrons, both Black men, were allowed to keep their hats on and were not asked to move from their table.

Additionally, T-Boz pointed out that there was no visible signage in the restaurant to support the dress code. She expressed her discomfort, questioning why all the Black patrons appeared to be seated in the same section, referring to it as “massa’s section.”

The Aftermath

The incident has sparked varied reactions online. Some people have supported T-Boz, feeling that the staff’s treatment of her group was questionable. Others believe that the dress code was clear and that leaving the restaurant was the appropriate response if T-Boz was unwilling to comply with the rules. The restaurant has not yet issued a response, but the situation has prompted angry comments on the eatery’s Instagram account.