THE EEOC is expanding its pool of potential witnesses for its court trial on age discrimination against Darden Restaurants’ Seasons 52 chain.

The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission is expanding its pool of potential witnesses for its looming court trial against Darden Restaurants’ Seasons 52 chain.

The government agency says in court filings it has found more than 250 applicants in 21 states who believe they were passed over for jobs because of their age.

Hiring managers told them they “had been in the industry a looooong time,” that they were “overqualified” for jobs or that they “looked a little old to be a waiter,” according to the EEOC documents filed in the case.

The EEOC will try to use those statements from applicants to show Darden’s managers preferred younger workers for its Seasons 52 brand, while Darden hopes to prove the allegations were baseless and isolated. The age discrimination lawsuit against Darden is coming into the home stretch. After two and a half years of gathering evidence and fighting over the scope of the case, the parties are set to try the case in a Miami federal courtroom Nov. 27, just two months away.

Darden’s argument hasn’t changed since the suit was filed in February 2015.

“We’ve always believed the EEOC’s allegations are without merit,” said a statement from Darden spokesman Rich Jeffers. “Even after we’ve produced many thousands of documents in discovery, the EEOC has yet to come forward with facts, documentation or testimony from witnesses, including its own experts, which would prove its case.”