Pregnant woman in crop top denied service at Washington restaurant

MARYSVILLE, Washington -- A pregnant woman in Washington claims a restaurant denied her service because her baby bump was showing.

Charisha Gobin, who is seven-and-a-half months pregnant with twins, said she was going to dine at the Buzz Inn Steakhouse with her family Sunday night. She was wearing a black crop top and long skirt.

"The waitress/bartender stopped us and said, 'I'm sorry, you can't be here in that shirt.' I said, 'Are you being serious with me right now?' And she said, 'Yep, you can't be here,'" Gobin told KIRO.

The server told KIRO that the restaurant has a "no shoes, no shirt, no service" policy linked with the city's health code regulations. Anyone wearing a crop top would have been asked to cover up, but Gobin doesn't buy it.

"Just because my belly was bigger and sticking out... But had it been anyone else, I don't think there would've been any problem whatsoever," she said.

Afterwards, she posted a photo of herself on Facebook with the caption, "I was just denied service at the Buzz Inn on State Avenue in Marysville for my outfit. I'm violating the health code."

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Gobin said she had never heard of a crop top not counting as a shirt.

"I was wearing a shirt, it had sleeves," she said. "I didn't even have cleavage showing."

Gobin said she felt like she was body shamed.

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The restaurant sent KIRO a statement via Twitter, saying:

"We sincerely apologize for the misunderstanding and will cover with all staff as to how to not overly enforce a rule that is intended to make all guests feel comfortable. Our apologies for the misunderstanding. The server in question has been with our company and a great employee for almost 20 years and was trying to use her best judgement (sic) and by no means was trying to be demeaning to the guest again our sincere apology for misunderstanding."

The company did not answer if anyone wearing that crop top would've been asked to cover up or explain how the shirt violated health code.