"$2.3 Billion for a Potato?"... Woman Sues Outback After Falling, Cites Emotional Distress

US Woman Sues Outback for $1.5 Million After Slipping on Mashed Potatoes


"Unable to Lead Normal Life Due to Physical Injuries and Mental Trauma"

Outback Responds: "Anyone Exercising Reasonable Care Could Have Noticed the Hazard"

A woman has filed a lawsuit seeking $1.5 million (approximately 2.3 billion won) against the well-known American franchise restaurant Outback Steakhouse after slipping and falling on mashed potatoes that had fallen on the floor.

According to the New York Post and other media outlets on June 6 (local time), Tracy Renshaw, a resident of Loudoun County, Virginia, filed this damages lawsuit against Outback Steakhouse.

In May 2023, Renshaw visited an Outback branch with her family and slipped on mashed potatoes that had fallen on the floor while heading to the restroom, causing her to fall forward.

Outback Steakhouse domestic branch. Stock photo unrelated to the article. Provided by Outback.

She claimed, "Store employees left a slippery lump of potatoes, mixed with butter, unattended, putting customers at risk," and added, "Despite the danger, there was not even a warning sign posted." She went on to explain that the accident left her with permanent injuries to her face and body, as well as mental trauma and medical expenses that have disrupted her daily life.

According to People, Renshaw first filed the complaint at the county circuit court on March 5, 2025. The complaint states that the restaurant failed to properly inspect and manage the floor, and that it breached its duty of care by not removing the hazard in a timely manner or informing customers of the risk.

Last week, Outback requested that the case be transferred to the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia. Outback denied the allegations in court, arguing that it had no duty to warn because it was unaware that mashed potatoes had been dropped on the floor at the time.

Furthermore, the company contended, "Even if there were mashed potatoes, anyone exercising reasonable care could have easily noticed them," and claimed that the extent of the injuries was exaggerated, disputing the plaintiff's responsibility and challenging its own liability.

This is not the first lawsuit filed against Outback. In 2018, at an Outback branch in Illinois, a customer filed suit and underwent surgery after cutting their finger on a broken glass left by an employee. In another case, a woman who swallowed a metal bristle mixed in a chicken dish required emergency surgery and was awarded $315,000 (about 490 million won) in damages.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.