Zum Schneider Restaurant & Biergarten would not allow me to join my group because of my skin color New YOrk, New York

On Saturday, May 1, 2010, I went to the Zum Schneider restaurant to meet with a group of people. I arrived at about 3:30 PM. They were already inside and had a table. The group was the German Stamtisch. It is a meetup.com group.

When I arrived, the place was very crowded and there was a line of people outside waiting for tables. They told me that I had to wait on line as well. I asked them why and they said it was because they were full to capacity. I spoke to the bouncer first and then to the hostess. The bouncer said that I had to wait in the line and that they were currently full to capacity. The hostess said the same thing but said that it should only be about 10-15 minutes.

I told them okay and I stood in the line for about half an hour. People left and as tables became available inside, they seated people from the line. Some customers did not wait in line before entering the restaurant. They entered immediately. They never allowed me to join my group.

I spoke to the hostess about it and she again said that they were full to capacity. I pointed out that my group already had a table and that a number of had left the restaurant. She shrugged her shoulders, smirked at me, and then walked away.

I called one of the people that I was supposed to meet and she came outside. She said that she tried to get them to let me in without waiting on the line but that they had refused. I said that I told her that I was leaving and that I would try to attend the next meeting. She assured me that she would not choose this restaurant again.

Accept for one or two Asian people in the line everyone in the line was Caucasian. I am an African American woman. All of the customers who were allowed into the restaurant were Caucasian. I believe that I was never allowed into the restaurant and never allowed to join my party because of the color of my skin.