A Tennessee man is suing Waffle House after claiming he was hit in the face with bear spray, struck with a stun gun, and restrained with zip ties during a confrontation at one of the chain’s Nashville locations.
According to The Independent, Gregory Lynn Hall, 62, says the incident unfolded while he was attempting to order a hash brown bowl at the restaurant window. In his lawsuit, Hall claims he got into a verbal argument with a cook and a server — who was reportedly identified as the cook’s wife — before a security guard allegedly confronted him wearing riot gear.
Allegations of Excessive Force
The complaint states that the guard “had no reason to confront him with riot gear” simply because Hall was attempting to order food at the window.
Hall alleges he was sprayed in the face with bear spray, shocked with a stun gun, and restrained with zip ties. He says he was later hospitalized following the altercation. The suit further accuses the cook of escalating the situation and triggering the confrontation.
Waffle House has denied wrongdoing and pushed back against Hall’s claims. In a statement, the company’s attorneys allege that Hall was “rude and abusive to employees of the restaurant and was told to leave the premises, which he refused to do.”
The statement continues:
“He continued aggressively arguing with the security guard and continued ignoring multiple commands to leave the premises, which resulted in a use of non-lethal force to expel [him] from the premises.”
$300,000 in Damages Sought
Hall is seeking $300,000 in damages. However, the restaurant maintains that some responsibility lies with him and argues that any recovery should be reduced or barred altogether.
Court documents also indicate that both parties have agreed to a protective order, preventing them from sharing sensitive information related to the case.
