Cracker Barrel

DOJ alleged Cracker Barrel allowed white servers to refuse Black customers, segregated seating, seated whites first, gave inferior service, and treated Black complainants worse, with evidence described at about 50 restaurants in seven states. The company denied wrongdoing. The Washington Post and NBC reported in September 2004 an $8.7 million settlement of separate private suits over mistreatment of Black customers and employees—that is press-reported private money, not the DOJ consent order.

• Injunctive consent order
  May 2004: DOJ Title II pattern-or-practice case, settled the same dayOn May 3, 2004, the Justice Department announced it had filed and settled a lawsuit alleging Cracker Barrel violated Title II of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 through a pattern or practice of discrimination against African-American customers, including segregated seating, slower or refused service, and worse treatment of Black complainants. DOJ said its investigation found such conduct at about 50 restaurants in seven states. The five-year consent order required policy, training, testing, and auditing changes. Title II authorizes injunctive relief only; DOJ obtained no monetary damages for customers. These were allegations resolved by consent order, not findings after trial.Source: U.S. Department of Justice ↗
• $8.7M private settlement (press)
  September 2004: press reported an $8.7 million private settlementThe Washington Post (September 10, 2004) and NBC News (September 9, 2004) reported that Cracker Barrel agreed to pay $8.7 million to settle private lawsuits accusing the chain of segregating Black customers, racial slurs, and discriminating against Black workers. NBC noted the company had already settled the separate Justice Department case with operational changes, no fines, and no admission. That $8.7 million is a private settlement reported by the press, including claims tied to Rhodes v. Cracker Barrel and related suits—not the DOJ consent order, and not a jury verdict.Source: NBC News ↗