posted<\/a> a statement on TikTok, saying it was investigating the “abhorrent behavior.”<\/p>\nArticle continues below this ad<\/p>\n
Doster said Texas Roadhouse hired an outside firm to investigate where the allegations originated. According to Doster, the investigation found what he described as suspicious activity involving the Facebook account where the allegations first appeared.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cThe original Facebook account, as they determined, was very suspicious,\u201d Doster said. \u201cIt changed names a couple of times, and then it simply deleted and disappeared.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Texas Roadhouse\u2019s investigation found that the post was later picked up by someone who uploaded a video to TikTok. According to Doster, that person later removed the post after determining that the allegations were not true, but by then the story had already begun circulating widely.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cUnfortunately, it was starting to take a life on its own,\u201d he said.\u00a0<\/p>\n
One of the main allegations involved the purported existence of a Facebook group of restaurant servers where members allegedly shared or coordinated practices to discriminate against Black customers and tamper with their food.\u00a0<\/p>\n
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Doster said the investigation commissioned by Texas Roadhouse found no evidence that such a group exists.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cWe found no evidence that that exists,\u201d he said. \u201cSo this is just created out of nowhere and then perpetrated to, I\u2019m guessing, damage our brand.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Doster also rejected allegations that kitchen workers could deliberately tamper with food based on a customer\u2019s race. He said employees preparing the food receive a ticket with the order but no information identifying the customer who placed it.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cWhen somebody orders food, it does not tell who they are, where they are, what they are,\u201d Doster said. \u201cThere\u2019s no name attached to it. There\u2019s nothing attached to it. It\u2019s just an order of food.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Texas Roadhouse is considering taking action to determine who was behind the allegations.\u00a0Doster declined to say whether the investigation has identified anyone or whether the company has any potential suspects.\u00a0<\/p>\n
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\u201cWe are going to look at any and every avenue we can to find out really why somebody would do this,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
Doster said one of the company\u2019s main concerns is the impact the allegations could have on its employees and restaurants, which are locally operated and involved in their communities.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s hard when you have a lot of passion for a company and for what you do for somebody just to make something up to try to damage you,\u201d he said. \u201cIt hurts all of our employees.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
For now, Doster said he hopes the controversy will not have a lasting impact on Texas Roadhouse and that customers will judge the chain based on their own experiences.\u00a0<\/p>\n
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\u201cI hope people, our guests, realize who and what we are,\u201d he said.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Texas Roadhouse is headquartered in Louisville, Ky., and has 81 restaurants\u00a0in Texas. The company has 580 locations in 49 U.S. states and 22 international locations.<\/p>\n