A black group in Texas is accusing a restaurant of discrimination after they were denied service because they allegedly smelled like marijuana.
The incident allegedly took place at Maroma, a restaurant in Dallas. The woman from the group who shared the video said they “walked away feeling racially profiled and completely humiliated” after the encounter. She also compared the experience to segregation, writing “Dallas Texas is SEGREGATED!” across the video.
In the video, a manager stood near the group’s table as one of the women asked why she was being told they could not be served. The manager responded that she could not serve them because she could smell them, apparently referring to an alleged smell of marijuana coming from the group.
The woman responded to the manager’s accusation by turning the camera toward each member of the group and asking whether they had smoked marijuana. Each person appeared to shake their head no. During the confrontation, the woman continued raising her voice while asking the manager for her name and accusing her of discriminating against the group.
“We do not smoke. No one here smokes,” the woman said. The manager responded, “I’m coming to you and telling you that I can’t serve you because I can smell marijuana.” The video ended with a man from the group asking the manager to bring the tab.
In addition to the video, the woman wrote, “Being a paying customer should never come with being treated differently because of how you look.” She also claimed in the comments that she was considering taking a drug test to prove that the group had not smoked marijuana. It is unclear what happened afterward or whether the group plans to take any further action regarding the incident.
Viewers Divided Over Texas Group’s Discrimination Claim
The video sparked reactions online. Viewers were divided over whether to side with the black Texas group or the restaurant. Some believed the incident amounted to racial discrimination, while others questioned the group’s claim that none of them had smoked marijuana. “I would take a drug test and sue!” one person wrote. Another commenter said, “A customer ‘smelling’ like marijuana doesn’t affect a tabc license unless they serve you and you were actually showing signs of impairment …. She was in fact racial profiling.”
Others sided with the manager and criticized the way the woman handled the confrontation. “Why are you shouting???” one person asked. Another commenter said, “ughhhh i hate the way u handled this.” However, other viewers continued defending the group and accused the manager of racism. “I’ve never been told to refuse a table when they smell like smoke, even when it’s loud. She’s definitely just being racist,” another person wrote.
The video sparked a conversation about whether restaurants can refuse service to customers based on an alleged smell of marijuana and what circumstances may justify such a decision. It also led to broader discussion about how customers can respond to disputes calmly, particularly when they believe they are being treated unfairly, and address their concerns without escalating the situation.
