California Tony Roma’s Ladies Night Drinks Class Action Settlement

Tony Roma’s has agreed to settle two related gender discrimination class action lawsuits with a group of patrons who allege the restaurant treated them unequally by requiring them to pay different prices for their drinks based on their gender.

Plaintiffs Bertram Riddick, Jeff McLaughlin, and Bruce Greenberg sued WDI, the parent company of Tony Roma’s, claiming that they and other customers of the bar area at Tony Roma’s restaurant formerly located in Torrance, Calif., who purchased drinks from Tony Roma’s Happy Hour menu during the Ladies Night promotions were discriminated against because Tony Roma’s charged male and female patrons different prices for the same alcoholic beverages.

Riddick filed his class action lawsuit in Los Angeles County Superior Court in May 2013 and McLaughlin followed with his class action lawsuit in July 2013 in Los Angeles County Superior Court, naming McLaughlin as an additional plaintiff in September 2013. The actions were deemed related on Aug. 26, 2013.

They alleged the restaurant chain violated the Unruh Civil Rights Act and the Gender Tax Repeal Act of 1995.

Under the terms of the Tony Roma’s settlement, WDI will pay a total of $370,000.

This amount is inclusive of (1) individual settlement payments to Class Members, (2) service awards to each plaintiff on account of their service as Class Representatives (up to $7,500 each), (3) up to $215,500 in legal costs and $12,000 in attorneys’ fees, and (4) claims administration expenses in the approximate amount of $21,050.

The Class Member payout fund, which is the funds expected to be distributed to participating Class Members is expected to be approximately $98,950, which will be divided up pro rata between each eligible Class Member who submits a timely Claim Form with the required proof of purchase, up to a maximum of $4,000 per Class Member.

WDI denies all of the claims and allegations in the two related cases, denies that plaintiffs are entitled to any relief in this case, and denies that absent a settlement, any Class should be certified. By agreeing to settle, WDI is not admitting liability on any of the factual allegations or claims in the case.

Class Members who wish to exclude themselves or object to the terms of the settlement must do so by Dec. 12, 2016.

Who’s Eligible

The Class consists of “all persons, regardless of gender, who purchased a beverage from the happy hour menu at Tony Roma’s in Torrance, California during its Friday ‘First Drink Is $0.99’ Ladies Night promotion from April 1, 2012 to May 31, 2013, and can show proof of purchase; and all persons, regardless of gender, who purchased two beverages from the happy hour menu at Tony Roma’s in Torrance, California during its Monday through Thursday ‘Buy One Drink and Get the Second Drink for $0.99’ Ladies Night promotion from April 1, 2012 to May 31, 2013, and can show proof of purchase.”

Potential Award

Varies.

If you purchased an alcoholic drink(s) in the bar area of Tony Roma’s location formerly in Torrance, Calif. from the Happy Hour menu during a Ladies Night promotions from Apr. 1, 2012 to May 31, 2013, and submit a Claim Form with proof of purchase, you are entitled to a pro rata share of share of the Class Member payout fund, up to a maximum of $4,000 per Class Member.

For example, assuming the Class Member payout fund is $98,950, and 50 Class Members submit valid Claim Forms and proof of purchase, then each participating Class Member will receive a pro rata individual settlement amount of $1,979.

If only 20 Class Members submit valid Claim Forms and proof of purchase, then each participating Class Member will receive the maximum individual settlement amount of $4,000.

Proof of Purchase

Eligible Class Members must provide a valid proof of purchase on a drink listed on the Tony Roma’s Happy Hour menu that was subject to the Ladies Night discount, and the purchase of that drink must have been made during Tony Roma’s Ladies Night promotions.

If you do not have proof of purchase, you may participate in the settlement if you complete a Claim Form; attest under penalty of perjury that you are a Class Member, you do not have documentary proof of the purchase, and you live or work within 10 miles of Tony Roma’s Torrance during the Ladies Night Class period.

However, WDI has the unrestricted right to reject any claim for which proof of purchase is not provided.

Claim Form

CLICK HERE TO FILE A CLAIM »

Claim Form Deadline

12/12/2016

Case Name

Bertram Riddick v. WDI International Inc. d/b/a Tony Roma’s, Case No. BC507786 in the Superior Court of California for the County of Los Angeles, Central District

Jeff McLaughlin and Bruce Greenberg v. WDI International Inc. d/b/a Tony Roma’s, Case No. BC514961 in the Superior Court of California for the County of Los Angeles, Central District

Final Hearing

02/21/2017

UPDATE: On February 21, 2017, the court granted the California Tony Roma’s Ladies Night settlement final approval.  Let Top Class Actions know when you receive a check in the comments section below or on our  Facebook page.

Settlement Website

www.TonyRomasSettlement.com

Claims Administrator

Tony Roma’s Settlement
Claims Administrator – Angeion Group
1801 Market Street, Suite 600
Philadelphia, PA 19103

Fax: 1-215-525-0209
Email: TonyRomasSettlement@AdministratorClassAction.com

Class Counsel

Alfred G. Rava
RAVA LAW FIRM

Jennifer Duffy
LAW OFFICES OF JENNIFER DUFFY

Defense Counsel

Jeffrey S. Ranen
LEWIS BRISBOIS BISGAARD & SMITH LLP