Brinker International Chili's Bar And Grill Beware Chli's Jefferson Village. Discriminates for employment Littleton, Colorado

I was a former employee at Chili's at Jefferson Village for 1-2 years and was a very good employee.  I was always close to the top if not at the top in terms of contests and PPA (per person average).  I left the company in order to pursue a job in sales and left in good standing of the company and I put my two week notice in.  After about 5 years I had decided to go back to school and decided to look for a serving job.  I knew that I had left with good standing with the company and one of the managers that I knew told me to come in for an interview because now was "a great time to come in and apply since we are hiring so many people". 

I showed up 20 minutes early to my scheduled interview only to have the General Manager completely ignore me and help another customer that came in after me.  After the other customer was helped, the manager then decided to sit around in the back of the restaurant for 10 more minutes before coming up to talk to me.  I was told by the manager that I would not be receiving an interview for the job because I had been previously employed there.  The company was not hiring any former employees because of a dispute that had happened while I was not even with the company.  I told the manager that all I wanted was the chance to interview and show her that I would be a great asset to her company.  She declined to give me the interview and said that I would never be offered a job at Chili's. 

I emailed the Chili's customer service department and received a call from the area director a few days later.  He said that I wasn't given a job there strictly because I had worked there previously.  He also said that mine was "an isolated incident" and that apparently they had talked to people that said that I was not a model employee which is false as I have many managers that will back up my work ethic while there.  I told the area director that I would be informing everyone I know about their sketchy hiring practices and he made it seem like I was threatening him for a job at the company.  I was not, but do intend to follow through with the promise I told him and have convinced many people to not dine at that restaurant.  My parents were regulars at that Chili's and all the wait staff loved them, but they will not be attending that location again. 

My biggest worry is that I was always taught to be honest and forthcoming when filling out applications, but being honest has really screwed me this time.  What was I supposed to do?  Leave out the Chili's work experience on the application?  The area director and general manager both made it seem like I would have gotten the job had I done this which I think is absolutely absurd.  Also, being told that I would be given the chance to interview with the general manager by another manager and then not being given that opportunity is LYING.  So please don't go eat at the Jefferson Village Chili's as the staff has much declined in the past year as has the management.  But mostly, don't go eat there because of their discrimination in hiring.  Who knows, maybe one day your kid will want to work there and get turned down because they used to work for a different Brinker company.