The Reason Cracker Barrel Just Paid A Settlement Of Over $100,000

It seems it was just yesterday that Cracker Barrel was taking flak for changing its iconic branding and then quickly getting rid of its new logo after fierce customer backlash. That controversy coincided with folks trolling Cracker Barrel's remodeling efforts, but when the chain scrapped those plans as well, it seemed like its PR problems were behind it. However, corporate's sigh of relief was short-lived, as the chain is back in hot water to the tune of $100,000 in one more example of how Cracker Barrel isn't doing so well.

In December 2024, a Cracker Barrel restaurant hosted students with autism from Dr. James Craik Elementary School in Waldorf, Maryland. Teachers in attendance alleged that the restaurant staff was less than hospitable, giving subpar service and treating the students poorly because they had disabilities. As the Americans with Disabilities Act, as well as the Annotated Code of Maryland, requires that public places offer the same service to people with disabilities as those without disabilities, the Civil Rights Division of the Maryland Office of the Attorney General and the Maryland Commission on Civil Rights (MCCR) began investigating Cracker Barrel to see if the claims had merit. A chairperson at the MCCR later filed a formal complaint claiming the company violated Maryland state law.

In early December 2025, Cracker Barrel agreed to enter a pre-determination settlement regarding the investigation, putting the restaurant chain on the hook for roughly $100,000 in various restitution payments. The company oversaw its own internal investigation into the matter and denies that the students were in any way mistreated. It maintains that it did not violate the law, and the settlement is in no way an admission of guilt.

Per the stipulations of the agreement Cracker Barrel entered into, the chain is compelled to pay a potential total of $75,000 to the students, amounting to $7,500 per student. The company is also obligated to refund the cost of the class's outing, which was $446.56, as well as send written apologies to the students, their families, and the teachers within 10 days. Cracker Barrel must also contribute $17,500 to two specialized programs the school oversees. That is on top of a $9,000 payment to the state's Civil Rights Enforcement Fund that Cracker Barrel will also have to fork over.

However, the penance doesn't stop there. The company has agreed to hire a law firm on its own dime to review its policies regarding public accommodation with the intention of modifying those policies to better serve customers with disabilities. Managers at Cracker Barrel locations across the country will receive training every year centered around these updates. The Civil Rights Division and the MCCR reserve the right to pursue further legal action against the restaurant chain if these benchmarks are not met in a timely manner.