Tracy J. Renshaw Sues Outback Steakhouse in $1.5 Million Restaurant Mashed Potato Lawsuit

Tracy J. Renshaw filed a restaurant mashed potato lawsuit against Outback Steakhouse, seeking $1.5 million after alleging she slipped on mashed potatoes at a Sterling, Virginia restaurant on May 14, 2023. The case moved into federal court after Outback requested removal of the action from a county circuit court on May 27, 2026.

Renshaw Complaint In Sterling

Renshaw initially filed her complaint in county circuit court on March 5, 2025. In that filing, she alleged that she encountered a “slippery foreign substance, which appeared to be mashed potatoes” while going to the restroom, then fell face forward onto the hard restaurant floor.

She also alleged there was no posted warning about the substance and said the restaurant failed to maintain a safe environment for customers. Her complaint described the condition as an “unreasonably dangerous condition for visitors.”

Outback Removal Request

Outback Steakhouse asked to move the case to the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia on May 27, 2026. In its response, the company said it “can neither admit nor deny” the allegation that it operated a Sterling location.

The company also said “there was no duty to post any warning” and disputed the claimed “duty of ordinary care.”

Liability Claims And Defenses

The dispute now turns on Renshaw’s claim that the restaurant should have warned customers about a dangerous floor condition and Outback’s argument that the hazard would have been open and obvious to a careful customer. The company also raised contributory negligence and assumption of risk.

For Renshaw, the move to federal court keeps the same $1.5 million claim in play while shifting the forum where the parties will litigate whether the alleged substance on the floor created legal responsibility for the restaurant.