Buffalo Wild Wings' Franchisee Settles Gender Discrimination Lawsuit Brought by Three Male Employees

The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) announced Tuesday that a Buffalo Wild Wings franchisee with whom the commission filed a gender discrimination lawsuit has agreed to settle the claim for $30,000, according to an article in Restaurant Business. The claim was filed on behalf of three male employees “alleging they were victims of gender discrimination,” the article said.

The EEOC filed the lawsuit against Buffalo Wild Wings’ franchisee R Wings R Wild, who operates locations in Arkansas and Oklahoma, the article said. “It accused the operator of refusing to hire the three as bartenders because they were men and the company prefers to staff its bars with women, presumably because of the appeal to male patrons,” according to the article.

The article pointed out that this type of litigation is rare.

“The legal action was unusual because it asserts men were the victims of sexual discrimination. In most cases of gender bias, the alleged victims are women,” the article said.