The Workplace Relations Commission found that Martin Casey and Natalie Quilligan were not discriminated against on the Traveller Community ground after they were turned away from a Christmas Eve restaurant booking. The decision was dated 22 April 2024.
The couple said they had booked a table for two adults and three children at 5pm on 24 December 2022, but were told there was no table when they arrived. They said other diners were still in the restaurant. Texas Steakout Limited Texas Steakout said its kitchen closed early on Christmas Eve and a booking-system error had allowed the late reservation. It said staff tried to contact customers to cancel affected bookings but might not have reached everyone.
The officer considered the booking error, the attempted cancellations and the parties’ evidence that Casey and Quilligan had eaten at the restaurant before without being refused service. The Equal Status Act prohibits discrimination in providing services. The officer found that the couple had not been discriminated against, and both complaints failed.