Restaurants (and other businesses) sometimes post signs stating that they reserve the right to refuse service to anyone. But Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 prohibits discrimination based on race, color, sex, religion, or national origin and the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) prohibits discrimination by places of public accommodation (including restaurants) on the basis of disability.

In addition to these federal statutes that prohibit discrimination against protected classes of persons, some states and cities have laws that prohibit discrimination based on other classifications—such as sexual orientation.

Restaurants have the right to exclude or refuse to serve persons that fail to meet a dress code, for example (“No shoes, no shirt, no service”) or are disruptive, for example, but they do not have the right to exclude or discriminate against persons based on being part of a class or group of persons protected by federal law or by state or local laws.

In Alabama, restaurants and other businesses do have the right to refuse service to individuals under certain circumstances, such as failure to adhere to a dress code or disruptive behavior. However, this right is limited by federal laws such as Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), which prohibit discrimination against protected classes including race, color, sex, religion, national origin, and disability. While Alabama state law does not have specific statutes that extend protections to additional classes such as sexual orientation, some local ordinances within the state may offer broader protections against discrimination. Therefore, while businesses can enforce reasonable rules regarding service, they cannot refuse service based on discriminatory reasons against federally protected classes or any other classes protected under local laws.