Cracker Barrel Fires Waldorf Staff After Incident

Three employees, including the general manager, of a Cracker Barrel in Waldorf, Maryland, were fired after a group of 11 students with disabilities and seven teachers, part of a life-skills learning program, was denied service during a December 3 outing. The group had notified the restaurant in advance, but Cracker Barrel cited staffing shortages and communication issues rather than discrimination as the cause of the service failure. The company has since pledged to improve training and apologized, expressing a willingness to work with Charles County Public Schools to prevent future incidents. Parents and the public have reacted strongly, with some calling for a boycott of the restaurant. Cracker Barrel's executives have met with school officials and parents to discuss the situation and how to improve service for the community moving forward.