Cracker Barrel has apologized after its Waldorf, Maryland, restaurant refused to serve a gaggle of scholars with particular wants final week.
The Lebanon, Tennessee-based restaurant chain stated that its lack of ability to accommodate the occasion was unrelated to the scholars’ skills, however that the state of affairs was nonetheless “unlucky.”
“Our missteps final week had been unlucky however had been unrelated to the scholars’ capabilities,” Cracker Barrel stated in a press release to CBS MoneyWatch Monday. “They had been as a consequence of our lack of ability to accommodate a celebration of 18 that arrived once we had been going through surprising staffing points and had partially closed our second eating room.”
The chain conceded that its response led to misperceptions on the a part of its company and the general public. “Our failure to comply with sure operational protocols mixed with poor communication on our half then led to misunderstandings and misperceptions,” it stated.
In a public letter posted Thursday, Charles County Public Schools superintendent Maria Navarro alleged {that a} group of 11 college students and 7 college visited Cracker Barrel in Waldorf as a part of an organized outing and was “refused service.” The go to was a part of programming that goals to assist college students with particular wants follow abilities they study within the classroom in real-life settings throughout the neighborhood, together with at native eating places and retail institutions.
Navarro contends that the college district had notified the restaurant of the deliberate go to and was advised reservations weren’t required. Upon arrival, nonetheless, the group was denied service. They had been capable of order meals to-go, the letter stated.
“The alleged remedy of CCPS college students, and employees, at Cracker Barrel is one which nobody ought to expertise. However, it’s encouraging to study that the district supervisor stated the enterprise could be keen to work with CCPS to do higher,” Navarro stated.
She added that the college district has already obtained affords from different native institutions to host its college students.
