A settlement has been reached with Cracker Barrel over allegations of disability discrimination at a location in Waldorf, Maryland, the state’s attorney general announced Monday.
A group of students with autism were denied service in December 2024, Charles County school officials said at the time.
Each of those students will receive several thousand dollars, and the company has agreed to revise and strengthen its policies.
News4 reported on a protest outside the restaurant after the group of 11 students and as seven staff members were not allowed to sit down and enjoy a meal, school officials said.
The students were part of a life-skills learning trip. The group called ahead and were told they didn’t need a reservation, but when they got there, they were not accommodated, they said. An employee asked that the restaurant be removed from a list of businesses willing to participate in the community-based instruction, which helps students develop social and life skills.
At the time, Cracker Barrel said it was having a staffing challenge and later said it fired a general manager and two employees over what happened.
“It broke my heart,” said Dustin Reed, whose 7-year-old daughter is nonverbal.
Maryland’s attorney general launched an investigation.
While Cracker Barrel denied the allegations, it did agree to the settlement. Cracker Barrel will pay each affected student $7,500, donate $17,500 to Dr. James Craik Elementary School programs that support students with developmental disabilities and strengthen its public accommodation policy nationwide to ensure the restaurant chain is in compliance with disability rights laws, according to the attorney general.
“This settlement compensates these students and their school while requiring Cracker Barrel to update its policies – advancing inclusion and accessibility not just across Maryland, but across the entire country,” Maryland Attorney General Anthony Brown said in a statement.
While the students didn’t get to eat inside the restaurant, they did place a to-go order. Under the settlement, Cracker Barrel also agreed to pay the school nearly $450 for the cost of the meals and transportation that day.
Cracker Barrel agreed to contribute $9,000 to the Civil Rights Enforcement Fund, which supports education, outreach and enforcement efforts across Maryland.
News4 reached out to Cracker Barrel for a statement but did not get a response.
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