Diner Blames Outback, Mashed Potatoes for Fall

Dinner at a Virginia Outback Steakhouse ended with a face-first fall, a customer says, resulting in a $1.5 million lawsuit. Court filings say 56-year-old Tracy Renshaw slipped on what appeared to be mashed potatoes while walking to the restroom at the Sterling location in May 2023, hitting the restaurant's hard floor and suffering serious, ongoing injuries. CBS News reports that she accuses the chain of negligence in failing to keep the floor clear, leaving the food there too long, and not warning diners about the hazard, creating conditions her suit calls "unreasonably dangerous."

Renshaw said the fall has led to substantial medical expenses and limited her ability to work. Outback Steakhouse denied the accusations, per USA Today. The company countered that it didn't know of any hazardous condition and that it wouldn't have been required to post a warning. Outback also argued Renshaw's characterization of the seriousness of her injuries. The case was recently moved from a Virginia state court to federal court.