Cracker Barrel

[Incogneeto]

Trump must have deported Nuro to El Salvador.  😂

He's had enough. Maybe he is taking a break.

I hope he is contemplating a Beach and some waves.

[mkd]

I went to one in Texas a few years ago it was new and different good.
 Went to another one in the middle of America say Arkansas about a year ago.
 It was a freaking disaster restaurant that's out of food. The service was bad.
 So I just went to one Pennsylvania. They actually had food and the service was great

[mkd]

Country music ode

[Jeff]

[ghuns]

About 15 years ago, I had a near death experience in a gas station bathroom after eating CB's chicken fried steak and gravy.

Haven't been back since.

[neurosis]

So there was more to Cracker Barrel's "going woke" than met the eye?  They had a well known history of bigotry and discrimination and were trying to change their image as being more inclusive.

The campaign to change their image backfired. I guess the right was just trying to "Make Cracker Barrel Great Again"?

"Black customers in 16 states also said they were subjected to racial slurs and served food taken from the trash, while Cracker Barrel management ignored or condoned such actions. The announcement comes four months after the company settled a Justice Department lawsuit accusing Cracker Barrel of similar discrimination claims at dozens of restaurants, mainly in the South.

That settlement found that Black customers at many of the country store-themed restaurants were seated in areas segregated from white patrons, frequently received inferior service, and often were made to wait longer for tables. Blacks who complained about poor service also were treated less favorably than whites."

https://www.justice.gov/archive/opa/pr/2004/May/04_crt_288.htm


I almost forgot how great the 90's were

"1991 Anti-Gay Policy and Firings
In January 1991, Cracker Barrel issued a memo to all stores mandating the firing of employees who did not display "normal heterosexual values".

At least 11–16 employees were terminated under this policy, creating national outrage and drawing condemnation from LGBTQ+ groups and civil rights organizations.

Legally, there were no federal protections for LGBTQ+ workers at the time, so those dismissed had little recourse.

Protests, Boycotts, and Public Backlash
Activists launched boycotts, "sip-ins," protests, and campaigns like the "Buy One" campaign, encouraging supporters to buy Cracker Barrel stock and demand anti-discrimination policies.

Protests included occupying tables for hours, public demonstrations, and appearances on national media to highlight the company's practices.

Despite revisiting the anti-gay policy after backlash, Cracker Barrel did not reinstate fired workers or offer strong protections at the time.

Shareholder Pressure and Policy Changes
Shareholders, including municipal pension funds, repeatedly pushed for anti-discrimination resolutions at the company, but Cracker Barrel resisted and the SEC allowed the company to block such votes for many years.

The buy-stock campaign demonstrated LGBTQ+ consumers' collective influence, but substantive policy changes took years.

"

"Cracker Barrel Discrimination Lawsuit
Cracker Barrel faced a significant lawsuit in 2006 over alleged discrimination against a gay employee, Bonnie Usher, who claimed she was subjected to sexual harassment and denied promotions due to her sexuality and gender.
 This case is part of a long history of discrimination claims against the company, including a controversial 1990s policy that led to the firing of employees for not demonstrating "normal heterosexual values""

"2002 Policy Update: Cracker Barrel did not add sexual orientation to its non-discrimination policy until 2002, despite the ongoing controversy.
 The company's past actions, including the firing of gay employees, have been widely criticized and are seen as part of a broader pattern of discriminatory practices."

[JParis]

1991
2002
2006

FFS 20 years ago

Do you have any "fresh" news?

[neurosis]

1991
2002
2006

FFS 20 years ago

Do you have any "fresh" news?

I think you may be missing the point of the post.

This isn't news. It's the history of a company known for bigotry and racism. They fought to hold on to that bigotry and eventually lost that fight.

I think it fits today because they made an attempt to promote an image of inclusiveness, and we can see how far they got with it. This wasn't just about a logo.

[JParis]

Sorry Dave.

Not about their history at all...present it that way and the US still practices slacery and institutional racism.

This was all about a company selling out itself to a woke crowd. Friends that I have that ARE trans, actually surgery and all, cannot stand the crap the LBG...whateverthefuck else, are pushing....

Nobody is locked out of any place they want to go....if you go to a place and you're treated badly, you vote with your wallet.

Same for everyone else....don't like it, don't go....if they can prove some kind of unlawful treatment, then sue them...

Otherwise, all this crap is just that, crap

[neurosis]

This was all about a company selling out itself to a woke crowd.

Sure, and that culture shift started in 2011.  FFS Do you have any "fresh news" 

My guess is that the "constantly in a state of outrage" right had no idea that this shift had been going on for years until Robby Starbuck, or whatever the hell his name is, started a campaign against them.

[ghuns]

..This isn't news. It's the history of a company known for bigotry and racism. They fought to hold on to that bigotry and eventually lost that fight...

...At least 11–16 employees were terminated under this policy...

11-16?

Not 1100-1600?

That's a history of bigotry?

For a company that employs about 80K people in a given year?

[neurosis]

For a company that employs about 80K people in a given year?

In 1991?

11-16?

Not 1100-1600?

What percentage of their employees were gay (or admitted to being gay) in 1991?

They (Cracker Barrel) fought for years against policy change that disallowed them to discriminate based on sexual orientation.

"led to the firing of employees for not demonstrating "normal heterosexual values"

I'm not trying to say that they were the only company discriminating against homosexuals in the 90's. I just think their history is interesting, considering a lot of today's outrage is wrapped around the companies support for the LBGTQ community. Although the rainbow rocking chairs, that have apparently suddenly become a problem, had been around since 2018. DEI policy since 2021.

I"m starting to think that everyone missed the point of the post. It's not just about their past. It's about why they made efforts to change their image, and who is pissed about the changes.

Not about their history at all...present it that way and the US still practices slacery and institutional racism.

Your analogy fits, but I'm not sure that it's in the way you intended.  You think that I'm criticizing the company today. I'm not. They've taken steps to change (like the US). This is more about *why* they are taking/took the steps to change and a criticism of who's fighting it.

[Jeff]

You think that I'm criticizing the company today. I'm not.

So you're ok with them wanting to hire anyone as long as they're not white?
If anything screams racism and bigotry, that does.

[neurosis]

So you're ok with them wanting to hire anyone as long as they're not white?
If anything screams racism and bigotry, that does.

There are no white people working at Cracker Barrel? 

I didn't realize I was making that argument.

Please, show me any Cracker Barrel where white employees are underrepresented.

[Jeff]

There are no white people working at Cracker Barrel? 

I didn't realize I was making that argument.

Please, show me any Cracker Barrel where white employees are underrepresented.

Re-read what I said.
WANTING to hire anyone as long as they're not white.
That's what the CEO was intending to do.