This ‘world famous’ fried chicken restaurant in KCK is being sued for racial discrimination
A former employee alleges Gus’s World Famous Fried Chicken allowed a “racially discriminatory environment” at its Kansas City, Kansas, location.
Tanesha Flowers filed a federal discrimination lawsuit Friday in the U.S. Court for the District of Kansas saying staff used the n-word and referred to Black people as “colored.” The managers excused their behavior and then retaliated against Flowers, the lawsuit said.
Flowers, who is Black, was hired as a cashier and server in August 2022 at the restaurant at 2816 West 47th Ave.
A white employee referred to her as “that colored girl with the locs,” the lawsuit alleged. A manager excused the white employee’s comments by saying she was from a small town, the lawsuit said.
Another employee used the n-word, called a bi-racial employee a “coon” and said he did not like “ghetto Black girls,” the lawsuit said.
Flowers reported the employee’s comments, but according to the lawsuit, nothing was done.
The lawsuit also said Black employees were written up, but white employees were not for the same issue.
The restaurant retaliated against Flowers after she filed an equal opportunity complaint by changing her hours and firing her, the lawsuit said.
The restaurant did not immediately respond to a request for comment. The company has about three dozen locations across the country, including restaurants in Overland Park and Lee’s Summit, according to its website.
The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission issued a right to sue letter in January.
