Popular restaurant chain accused of turning away special needs students

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U.S. restaurant chain Cracker Barrel has been blasted after it allegedly refused to serve a group of students with special needs.

The group tried to visit a location in Waldorf, Md., on Dec. 3 as “part of community-based instruction (CBI)” which aims to help students with special needs practice skills they learn in the classroom in real-life settings such as restaurants and retail stores.

Charles County Public Schools (CCPS) superintendent Maria V. Navarro wrote in a letter that a group of 11 students and seven faculty members were “refused service.”

Navarro noted that school staff members “notified the establishment of the planned visit, including how many were in the party” and the purpose of the visit.

They were also allegedly told that no reservation was needed.

But when the group arrived at Cracker Barrel, Navarro claimed “the students and staff were declined service and asked to no longer include the restaurant on its CBI list. The group was able to place a carry-out order.”

The school staffers subsequently spoke with the restaurant’s district manager about the incident, and conveyed their concerns about the service refusal, according to Navarro.

“The alleged treatment of CCPS students and staff at Cracker Barrel is one that no one should experience,” the superintendent wrote in her letter.

“However, it is encouraging to learn that the district manager said the business would be willing to work with CCPS to do better.”

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Since being refused service, Navarro made special mention of other establishments that have since reached out “to offer their locations as future CBI sites, with open invitations for CCPS students.”

“I want to thank our staff for their swift action in reporting this incident, supporting the emotional safety of our students and keeping our families updated,” Navarro wrote, adding, “We look forward to hearing from Cracker Barrel.”

The restaurant claimed the “missteps” from last week were “due to our inability to accommodate a party of 18 that arrived when we were facing unexpected staffing issues and had partially closed our second dining room,” according to a statement to People magazine.

However, the chain conceded: “Our failure to follow certain operational protocols combined with poor communication on our part then led to misunderstandings and misperceptions.”

It added: “At Cracker Barrel, we strive to create a welcoming environment and great experience for all of our guests. That we disappointed this group of students and teachers during their recent visit is unacceptable to us, and we sincerely apologize.”