A Virginia woman has sued Outback Steakhouse for $1.5 million, claiming she was injured when she slipped on mashed potatoes on the floor of a Sterling, Virginia, restaurant.
Tracy J. Renshaw, 56, originally filed the civil lawsuit in Loudoun County Circuit Court in May 2025, USA Today reported. The case was transferred to the federal level on May 27, 2026, according to the newspaper.
The case, Renshaw v. Outback Steakhouse of Florida, LLC et al., was filed in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia, according to online court records. Renshaw accuses the restaurant of failing to maintain safe conditions for guests, USA Today reported.
A Virginia woman is suing Outback Steakhouse for $1.5 million, alleging she slipped on mashed potatoes at one of its locations and suffered serious injuries. https://t.co/lh9ck0owSm
— USA TODAY (@USATODAY) June 3, 2026
In the complaint, Renshaw said she was dining with her family at the restaurant on May 14, 2023. As she walked to the restroom, she alleged that she stepped on “slippery substance” that appeared to be mashed potatoes, court documents state.
Renshaw said she fell face-first onto the restaurant’s hard floor. The complaint alleges that no warning was posted about the spilled substance, and that the personnel at the Outback restaurant allowed the spill to remain on the floor “for an unreasonable amount of time.”
Renshaw added that she has experienced “significant pain,” ongoing medical costs and a reduced ability to work, USA Today reported.
Outback Steakhouse has denied the allegations, arguing that it had no notice of any hazardous condition and that it had no obligation to post a warning about the alleged spill, according to the newspaper. It also disputed claims about the extent of Renshaw’s injuries.
© 2026 Cox Media Group
