Incident sparks outrage from parents, community, and advocacy groups; Cracker Barrel issues apology citing “staffing issues.”
A Cracker Barrel restaurant in Waldorf, Maryland, is facing criticism after a group of special-needs students was denied sit-down service during a school-organized field trip. The incident, which occurred on December 3, has drawn sharp rebukes from parents, school officials, and community advocates, prompting calls for accountability and a protest scheduled for December 15.
According to Stacey Campbell, the mother of a non-verbal autistic boy named Jojo, her 9-year-old son was part of an educational outing organized by his school’s Community-Based Instruction (CBI) program. The program allows students with special needs to practice life skills in real-world settings.
The group, which included 11 students and 7 staff members, reportedly contacted the restaurant beforehand and was told no reservation was necessary. However, upon arrival, they were informed that the restaurant could not accommodate them due to “capacity and staffing issues.” The students were offered takeout instead and told to wait in the back of the restaurant, where they remained for more than an hour.
Adding to parents’ frustration was the behavior of Cracker Barrel staff. An email from one of the teachers on the trip described the staff as “very rude” and noted that students were ignored during the extended wait. The teacher also stated that the restaurant’s manager advised them to remove Cracker Barrel from the school’s list of approved field trip locations, claiming:
“We don’t accommodate this type of group.”
Stacey Campbell shared her outrage on social media, saying the experience was especially disheartening for families with children who have limited ability to advocate for themselves.
“These types of trips are extremely beneficial to them… It allows him to be able to explore without all of the white noise and all of his senses being overloaded,” she said.
Her social media post quickly drew hundreds of reactions, with parents, community members, and advocacy groups expressing solidarity and calling for Cracker Barrel to be held accountable.
Charles County Public Schools Superintendent Maria Navarro released a statement defending the students and school staff. She highlighted the educational value of the CBI program, which aims to help students generalize life skills from the classroom to community environments.
“Our students and staff are our number one priority, and we are disheartened to learn about the alleged treatment they received while participating in an activity designed to educate our students using real-world applications,” Navarro wrote.
The Charles County chapter of the NAACP also condemned the incident, calling it a potential violation of the Americans With Disabilities Act (ADA). The organization demanded an investigation and called for Cracker Barrel to provide training in disability awareness and sensitivity for its staff.
In response to the growing backlash, Cracker Barrel issued a public apology, describing the situation as “unfortunate” but unrelated to the students’ disabilities. The company claimed the issue stemmed from a staffing shortage that required the partial closure of a dining area at the Waldorf location.
“Our missteps last week were unfortunate but were unrelated to the students’ capabilities… They 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,” Cracker Barrel stated.
The company admitted that its “failure to follow certain operational protocols combined with poor communication” contributed to the misunderstanding. Cracker Barrel also noted that it had reached out to Charles County Public Schools and pledged to improve its processes, adding that the students and teachers “were, are, and always will be welcome to dine with us.”
Despite Cracker Barrel’s apology, parents and community members remain skeptical. Dustin Reed, a local parent whose non-verbal daughter was part of the school outing, is organizing a protest at the Waldorf Cracker Barrel on December 15.
“Only thing they wanted to go in there to do was eat some food and enjoy their time there and learn from it,” Reed told local news station NBC Washington.
Dozens of people, including parents of children with disabilities, have pledged to join the protest. For many parents, the incident is a painful reminder of the discrimination that children with disabilities can face in public spaces.
“I’m heartbroken,” said Kisa Lee, whose autistic son was also on the trip.
She said her son and his classmates were excited to visit Cracker Barrel for fries and grilled cheese after a morning visit to Dollar Tree. For autistic children, field trips like this one help them practice important skills like standing in line, placing orders, and managing sensory input.
“The lack of empathy in that situation is what broke me,” Lee said.
The NAACP and other local advocates have called on Cracker Barrel to commit to disability awareness training for its staff. Navarro, the Charles County Public Schools Superintendent, also encouraged Cracker Barrel to work with the district to improve its handling of large groups and students with special needs.
While Cracker Barrel has signaled openness to improving its training and procedures, many parents say it is not enough. For them, the experience was not only humiliating but also emblematic of the ongoing challenges that families with disabled children face.
“My mind and heart are torn between crying and wanting to set the world on fire,” said Stacey Campbell.
She reflected on how the experience affected her son and other children on the trip.
As Cracker Barrel works to rebuild trust with the community, the planned protest on December 15 is set to draw public attention to the broader issue of accessibility and inclusion for students with disabilities.
The Daily Mail, New York Post, and the Washington Post contributed to this report.
