Posted on 10/17/2006 5:15:23 PM PDT by Livin_large
Rose Rock, the mother of comedian Chris Rock, claims she was racially discriminated against when she was seated but ignored for more than a half hour at a Cracker Barrel restaurant along the South Carolina coast. Rock said Tuesday she planned to sue the Lebanon, Tenn.-based company. A Cracker Barrel spokeswoman said the restaurant chain was investigating and taking the complaint "very seriously."
Cracker Barrel has in the past faced numerous lawsuits and a federal inquiry over complaints of refusing to serve black customers, discriminating against minority workers and firing gay employees. The company has taken steps to rebuild its folksy image and reach out to minorities.
Rock, who is from Georgetown, said she and her 21-year-old daughter were the only blacks at the chain's Murrells Inlet restaurant in April. She said when she asked the manager about the delay she was told they could have a free meal.
"He never called over the waitresses and asked, `Why did these people sit here for an hour without service?'" she said. "The only thing he said was we could have a free meal and neither of us wanted to eat."
Cracker Barrel spokeswoman Julie Davis said the company doesn't "tolerate any form of discrimination."
"It has always been a violation of our policies and procedures and it is neither condoned nor allowed," she said. "We do not allow the type of behavior you are describing," Davis said.
Rock said she contacted the South Carolina Human Affairs Commission and was told her complaint would be handled, but "nothing ever happened."
The head of the commission, Jesse Washington, said Tuesday that after initial discussions, the complaint was finalized Aug. 7 and his agency also was investigating. He would not comment on the complaint.
"We get thousands of charges coming through here in the course of a year," he said. "It's not out of line _ the time frame on this. It is being investigated and we will be in touch with her when we have a report."
The Rev. Al Sharpton will join Rock on Wednesday in South Carolina to announce that Sharpton's Action Network will finance the planned lawsuit.
"I'm getting reports from all over the country about Cracker Barrel," Sharpton said from New York on Tuesday.
He also said state officials are slow to act on such complaints.
"When people are talking about there is no more discrimination, a lot of it is because they are not following this stuff up," Sharpton said.
Cracker Barrel, established in 1969, operates 547 restaurants in 41 states, according to the company's Web site.
Georgetown is about 60 miles northeast of Charleston.
That what she gets for eating at a Cracker Barrel. Only been in them twice, two different areas of the country, and both times service was horrible.
Next she will demand an investigation into why green olives come in a jar, but black olives are kept in a can.
I never know how long it takes at Cracker Barrel. I give my order to my husband and tell him to come get me when the food is on the table. Then I go shopping:')
Exactly. I used eat there quite a bit. I think one of the reasons they have all those rocking chairs on that great big porch, and that big craft store, are so you'll have something to do, sit on, and buy while you're waiting...and waiting....
Also, I guess it's not discrimination when a white boy has to wait for things, or doesn't get what he wants, when he wants it...but for anyone else it clearly is.
Ha ha Ha. I really needed that. LMAO.
But seriously, I must of been discriminated against too! I had to sit around for even longer at a Cracker Barrel once.
Strange though, my reaction was to never come back again because their service was so bad.
Bad food, horrible service. I don't understand why anyone goes there.
*L*O*L*
Chances are nearly everyone at that location gets horrible service. I joined friends at the bar at a Houlihan's Restaurant in Austin, TX about 2 weeks ago.
They had already ordered when I arrived and the bartender spent about 25 minutes with her back to us, so I ordered directly from a server.
I had eaten and paid my check about 45 minutes in from my arrival and headed out before my friends had gotten their food.
They were all white... the bartender was just a crappy server.
The Rock's were given the proper remedy at the time, free food. The only time servers get publicaly trashed and fired in front of customers are in the movies when the evil white manager fires the poor black employee.
Employers can't do that in real life... it leads to lawsuites.
"He never called over the waitresses and asked, `Why did these people sit here for an hour without service?'" she said. "The only thing he said was we could have a free meal and neither of us wanted to eat."
So, because this woman was denied the perverse pleasure of seeing the wait staff browbeaten, she's suing?
Good God Almighty...why is it *always* about race?
Uh Oh!!!!
Love that meatloaf!
Uh Oh!!!!
I know, it's terrible. They should change the name to Honky Barrel, or maybe Redneck Barrel.
As for bad service, who hasn't had at least one of these experiences? I get up and leave too if I sit ignored for more than 15 or 20 minutes, or if the place isn't busy, I sit for 15 minutes and it is obvious all the employees have disappeared to the kitchen. If the service is that bad and indifferent, I don't really want to think about the food preparation, much less eat the results.
What's the matter Mrs. Rock, won't Chris give you enough money. Or don't you get the attention you deserve by having a low talent, foul mouthed son. Get over yourself.
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