A managing partner at a Texas Roadhouse in Milton, Florida, was terminated after his wife posted comments on social media mocking conservative commentator Charlie Kirk that circulated online and prompted complaints from local staff and conservative activists.
Texas Roadhouse confirmed the company investigated the matter and said the comments attributed to the owner did not reflect the company’s views. "After an investigation, the managing partner of this location is no longer employed by our company," the restaurant chain said in a comment on its Facebook page.
The posts were created on Facebook by Mallory Readling and circulated online over the weekend. In one post, which her husband’s employer and others said has since been deleted, she referred to Kirk as a "Nazi" and wrote that she did not feel sorry for him. In another, she criticized what she described as selective outrage over school shootings and contrasted that with reactions to the death of a prominent conservative figure. The posts drew attention after Scarlett Johnson, who identifies herself as the social media manager for Moms for Liberty, a conservative advocacy group, posted that "servers are upset & feel intimidated" after seeing the comments.
Matthew Readling, 37, who worked at the Milton Texas Roadhouse since 2021 according to the restaurant’s Facebook page, was identified as the managing partner at the location. A day after the posts were highlighted online, Matthew’s father, Bill Readling, posted on Facebook that his son had been fired and described his daughter-in-law as "soon to be ex-daughter-in-law." Bill Readling’s post, which was later deleted, said Matthew "did NOTHING wrong" and that Matthew could not post publicly about the situation because his employer instructed him not to. He also wrote that his daughter-in-law "needs serious mental health support."
Texas Roadhouse’s public statement said the chain hoped to welcome guests "again soon" and reiterated that the statements attributed to the local owner did not represent the company. The chain confirmed it had carried out an investigation before ending the manager’s employment.
Mallory Readling’s posts also included a now-deleted message about former President Donald Trump which used a list of accusations and disparaging comparisons. The posts drew criticism from conservative influencers and were widely shared on social media before the Facebook accounts involved were removed.
The social media attention followed the fatal shooting of Charlie Kirk last week, an event that prompted national discussion across the political spectrum. The reporting that spurred the local dispute cites Kirk’s death as the context in which Mallory Readling’s comments were made.
The Daily Mail, which first reported the story, said it contacted Matthew Readling, Mallory Readling and Texas Roadhouse for comment. The company’s public response and the family’s posts show the incident prompted rapid employer action amid public scrutiny.
The termination underscores the potential consequences for businesses when employees or their relatives make inflammatory political statements that circulate online and affect perceptions among staff and customers. Texas Roadhouse’s statement framed the case as an isolated incident tied to individuals at one location and emphasized that the expressed views were not corporate positions.
As of this reporting, the Facebook accounts involved have been deleted and the Milton location’s manager is no longer employed by the chain. Family members and the restaurant did not provide additional public comment beyond the statements and posts already disclosed.