Black customers file $100 million civil rights lawsuit against Cracker Barrel restaurants

AP ^ | 12-13-01 | Christopher Newton

[Oldeconomybuyer]

WASHINGTON (AP) -- Twenty-one people filed a $100 million federal lawsuit against Cracker Barrel restaurants Thursday, accusing the nationwide chain of widespread racism, from segregating black customers in the smoking section to denying them service.

It was the largest civil rights lawsuit against a restaurant chain since Denny's settled a $46 million discrimination lawsuit in 1994.

[dougherty]

Well then, my mother, sister and I had to wait almost thirty minutes to be seated at Cracker Barrel the last time we were there. Who do I call to sue? I tell you, I really suffered having to wait my turn and hereby demand my piece of the pie! I want $25,000,000 for my pain and suffering. Just kidding, of course, but we really did have to wait quite a while to be seated and I loved their gift shop, I always end up buying something while I wait.

[dougherty]

They are working on it. It's called reperations.

So true. I was surfing the web one night and came across a link to the messageboard on bet.com and there was a whole discussion group for reparations. I actually felt sad for some of the posters, they actually believe they have it worse off than someone in Sudan or Somalia. Sad, sad, sad.

[BushWonGore'sDone]

I've been to Crackle Barrel several times and the service and operation seemed very professional and courteous. I cannot remember the percentage of black to white employees working there. Would you know about there equal opportunity policy and is there a problem in that area?Jesse Jackson surely would jump on that quickly.

[Labyrinthos]

those people

Huh?

[Caipirabob]

My children have such as vast spectrum of cultural heritage that it will be literally IMPOSSIBLE for them to go anywhere, eat anywhere, see a movie, use a public restroom without someone offending them in some way or another. Then we'll hire a Raindbow Push Lawyer, sue and I'll retire off the millions!

Ahhhhh... the new American dream!

/sarcasm

[Huck]

All excellent points.

[spintreebob]

I believe most people see what they expect to see.

Interesting what we each see: mafree sees the free market. Do waitresses see tips? and managers? lawyers?

Racial discrimination does exist. To deny its existence is one set of lies. To go to the other extreme and make it a money center for lawyers is ridiculous.

At a Republican dinner, 2/3 of us were seated. I was facing the door with 2 seats left at our table. A friend and precinct captain came in. I waved him over. He asked the man beside the empty chair if that chair was taken. The man already seated tilted the back of the chair against the table, indicating it was taken, when it wasn't. Later he said "I have to work beside them all day and I'll be dammed if I'm going to eat with them." My friend walked away. I don't know what he thought. But 6 of 8 of us at the table would have been happy to have him at our table, due to his intelligent conversation. (I have no knowledge of his table manners but they can't be any worse than mine.)

The top Republican leader backed away from working a nearby table and ended up beside my friend. They started talking. My friend ended up beside the leader's wife at the front table...all by coincidence.

But most people rejected by a racist Republican do not have that coincidence. And then we wonder why they don't vote Republican when they are pro-life, anti-gay, etc.

[Pharmboy]

One way to test the waters a bit would be to see if their waiters and waitresses represent similar proportions of black/white as present in similar restaurants in their respective areas. If blacks are reasonably represented as staffers, then they would have not much of a case.

Sometimes lousy service is just lousy service. But, I imagine if you are AA sometimes you take it personally. If it were me, I just would never go into that place again.

[spintreebob]

I believe most people see what they expect to see.

Interesting what we each see: mafree sees the free market. Do waitresses see tips? and managers? lawyers?

Racial discrimination does exist. To deny its existence is one set of lies. To go to the other extreme and make it a money center for lawyers is ridiculous.

At a Republican dinner, 2/3 of us were seated. I was facing the door with 2 seats left at our table. A friend and precinct captain came in. I waved him over. He asked the man beside the empty chair if that chair was taken. The man already seated tilted the back of the chair against the table, indicating it was taken, when it wasn't. Later he said "I have to work beside them all day and I'll be dammed if I'm going to eat with them." My friend walked away. I don't know what he thought. But 6 of 8 of us at the table would have been happy to have him at our table, due to his intelligent conversation. (I have no knowledge of his table manners but they can't be any worse than mine.)

The top Republican leader backed away from working a nearby table and ended up beside my friend. They started talking. My friend ended up beside the leader's wife at the front table...all by coincidence.

But most people rejected by a racist Republican do not have that coincidence. And then we wonder why they don't vote Republican when they are pro-life, anti-gay, etc.

[Doctor Freeze]

Here comes another shakedown. Jesse and Sharpton will be on the scene soon. I found their "shakedown playbook" the other day:

1) File multi-million dollar class action lawsuit
2) Try to force settlement
3) If company refuses to settle, cry racism and call for nationwide boycott of business
4) Company should now settle because it can't risk bad PR

It's ShAkEdOwN time!!!

[Labyrinthos]

at olive garden there is up to an hour wait to get in where we live (upstate ny)

I might wait up to an hour to eat in a four star restuarant on a very special occassion or to impress a beautiful woman. I can't imagine waiting more than five minutes to eat at an Olive Garden, and Cracker Barrel deserves no more than a minute of my attention.

[MeneMeneTekelUpharsin]

They can also bankrupt Cracker barrel just through protracted litigation.

Nope. Someone connected with them short sold stock before this happened, is buying stock cheap now, and will sell high after it's over. If the Feds would ever look into this, they'd probably find it is EXACTLY what is happening.

[A CA Guy]

I would love the records involving the people suing to be taken into account. I bet you will find they have sued more than once before.

This is a poor attempt at reparations that are not due.

[rogercolleridge]

And not only that, but why did she sit "watching" for 12 minutes when she had "hungry children?" Shouldn't her first priority have been to get her starving children some food. Looks like a set-up to me.

It must have been a lot longer than 12 minutes. Don't forget -- not only did she see them enter and be seated, but she also (supposedly) saw them eating and drinking through the window!!!

[d14truth]

"I'm white, and I am offended by the name of this restaurant. I am filing a $100 million civil rights lawsuit against Cracker Barrel restaurants for having an offensive name. So there!"

I agree with you. The name is totally insensitive to fat, white folk. As there are two of us, do we now have a 'class action' suit? {;~)

[jeffyraven]

I found it rural more in the sense of what it's like in Iowa, Kansas, Nebraska, etc., than really southern. Of course, I'm more familiar with the midwest than the south (you're quite right that when I go down south, I stop for gas and food and little else), so it just reminded me more of Iowa than it did of, say, Kentucky.

[wardaddy]

A big Mafree bump!!!!!