Outback Steakhouse sued for $1.5M after diner slips on mashed potatoes

A Virginia woman is seeking $1.5 million from Outback Steakhouse after she says she slipped on mashed potatoes inside a restaurant and fell face-first onto the floor, suffering serious and permanent injuries, according to a lawsuit she filed against the Australian-themed casual dining restaurant chain.

Tracy J. Renshaw, 56, alleges that the incident happened while she was dining with her family at an Outback Steakhouse in Sterling, VA, on May 14, 2023. The case, first filed in Loudoun County Circuit Court in May 2025 and later moved to federal court on May 27, 2026, accuses the restaurant of failing to maintain safe conditions for guests.

According to the complaint, Renshaw was walking to the restroom when she stepped on a slippery substance on the floor that appeared to be mashed potatoes. The lawsuit states that the fall caused her to land face-first on the hard flooring.

Her filing argues that the chain had a legal duty to maintain a safe environment and to warn customers of hazards. It claims no warning was posted about the substance and that the restaurant allowed the spill to remain on the floor for an unreasonable amount of time.

Lawsuit alleges negligence and lasting harm

Renshaw’s complaint says the condition created an “unreasonably dangerous” situation for patrons and alleges negligence in failing to address or remove the spill. It also claims she has experienced significant pain, reduced ability to work and ongoing medical costs as a result of the fall.

The lawsuit does not provide detailed medical descriptions of her injuries, and her attorney has not publicly elaborated on her condition.

Outback Steakhouse denied the allegations while the case is ongoing. The company argued that it had no notice of any hazardous condition and that it had no obligation to post a warning about the alleged spill. It also disputed claims about the extent of Renshaw’s injuries.

USA TODAY contacted Outback Steakhouse’s and Renshaw's attorneys for additional comment on the allegations.

Prior injury lawsuits involving the chain

The Independent has previously reported several lawsuits involving Outback Steakhouse locations in different states centered on alleged customer injuries. In one case, a Florida man sued after a toilet at an Outback location in Ocala allegedly “shattered” while he was using it, leading to claims of significant and permanent injury.

In another incident, a South Carolina woman was awarded $315,000 after she said she ingested a metal bristle embedded in a chicken dish, requiring emergency surgery to remove it from her esophagus. That case involved allegations that the bristle came from a wire brush used to clean a grill at the Outback location she visited.

Additional litigation cited in previous reporting includes a South Carolina case involving a customer who allegedly swallowed a shard of glass that was in a sweet potato dish, as well as an Oregon lawsuit in which a diner claimed he cracked two molars after biting into broken pieces of a plate mixed into his food.

Reporter Anthony Thompson can be reached at [email protected], or on X @athompsonUSAT.