Along with flip-flops, active wear isn't permitted inside the eatery
Days after American singer Post Malone was denied entry into a rooftop bar in Perth, Australia over his tattoos, a similar case involving high-profile celebrities has surfaced. This time, well-known actor Russell Crowe and his girlfriend Britney Theriot were turned away from a restaurant in Australia because they didn't meet the "smart casual" dress code, New York Postreported. The couple then went to another nearby restaurant for lunch.
The incident happened when the couple had gone to the Mr Miyagi fusion establishment in Melbourne for a "quick bite to eat'', after a game of tennis. Since they were playing tennis, Mr Crowe was wearing a Ralph Lauren polo shirt while Ms Theriot was wearing her tennis skirt. Seeing their costumes, they were turned away by the restaurant staff.
Notably, the restaurant described itself as ''casual but fancy'' where ''work gear, activewear, singlets, and thongs (flip-flops)'' are forbidden. Owner Kristian Klein told the Daily Herald that the pair were wearing "slobby gym gear."
''We treat everyone the same. It doesn't matter who you are or if you are Russell Crowe. We've got a dress code that we push across every level'', Mr Klein told The Herald Sun on Friday.
He added, "We're not trying to teach people how to dress. But I know personally if I'm in my thongs and my boardies, I'm not going to try and go to a nice restaurant, because I wouldn't be dressed appropriately." The owner also said that the staff member who refused service to the couple didn't recognize the 'Gladiator' actor.
Later, the restaurant tried to make light of the situation, with a funny update on Instagram. “Dress smart casual, unless you're Russell Crowe, then wear whatevs,” the sign read.
See the post here:
The restaurant also added a note regarding Mr Crowe's visit and said that they would love to have him back.
The post read, ''Dear Russell, During your last visit it seems we got off on the wrong foot. After much reflection on what occurred, we have made a permanent change to our dress code. We would love to see you again in the future, you're always welcome at Mr Miyagi.''