Falcons linebacker says he was turned away from restaurant over dress code

ATLANTA — Grady Jarrett, a linebacker for the Atlanta Falcons, posted on social media that he was refused service over the way he was dressed.

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Jarrett’s since-deleted Instagram post featured a photo of him in a green jumpsuit. The caption said: “Not sure if I know how my dress is offensive, maybe it’s the Gucci suit, the Bussdown AP Offshore, the iced double tennis chain w an Ankh and the fact that I pulled up in my 500k RR and they felt I wasn’t fit to bless their restaurant for dinner.. I guess the other people rocking Nike sweat suits and t shirts that were already seated (as you can see in the background of the picture) n enjoying dinner were no problem.”

Jarrett had been attempting to eat at Le Bilboquet, when a manager told him he was not dressed properly, he told WSB-TV.

“He came up to me and looked me up and down,” Jarrett told WSB-TV. “It wasn’t a good feeling.”

Jarrett said that in the background of the photo he had taken showing himself in the suit at the restaurant, other people were visible dining inside dressed casually.

The restaurant’s manager, Martin Theis, told WSB-TV that the restaurant requires all diners to follow the dress code, which reads, in part, that sweatpants and athletic attire are not allowed.

“We never like upsetting people with the dress code, but it’s something that we do need to maintain,” Theis told WSB-TV.

Jarrett told WSB-TV that he wore a similar sweatsuit to the same restaurant the week prior to the incident and was not asked to leave at that time.

Le Bilboquet released a statement to WSB-TV saying: “At Le Bilboquet, we value each and every patron and their unique style. However, we have a dress code to maintain a certain standard. Our dress code (which clearly states that athletic wear is not allowed) is posted at our door, online and reiterated by our reservation team. Last spring, we relaxed our dress code to accommodate Atlanta’s more casual environment and required all staff members to undergo extensive sensitivity training. We never want to turn away guests, but we must treat all guests equally by providing a standard for everyone who wishes to dine with us. Our apologies to anyone who has ever been turned away.”

Last May, NBA Hall of Fame legend Dominique Wilkins targeted Le Bilboquet on Twitter, saying that he had been turned away from the restaurant because of the color of his skin. At the time, the restaurant responded with a statement reiterating its dress code, WSB-TV reported. The restaurant later issued an apology to Wilkins.

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