Chris Rock's mother is pissed at Cracker Barrel

[AlexMack]

http://www.cnn.com/2006/SHOWBIZ/Movi....ap/index.html

CHARLESTON, South Carolina (AP) -- Rose Rock, the mother of comedian Chris Rock, claims she was racially discriminated against when she was seated but ignored for a half hour at a Cracker Barrel restaurant along the South Carolina coast.

Rock said Tuesday she planned to sue the Lebanon, Tennessee-based company. A Cracker Barrel spokeswoman said the restaurant chain was investigating and taking the complaint "very seriously."

Cracker Barrel has in the past faced numerous lawsuits and a federal inquiry over complaints of refusing to serve black customers, discriminating against minority workers and firing gay employees. The company has taken steps to rebuild its folksy image and reach out to minorities.

Rock, who is from Georgetown, said she and her 21-year-old daughter were the only blacks at the chain's Murrells Inlet restaurant in April. She said when she asked the manager about the delay she was told they could have a free meal.

"He never called over the waitresses and asked, 'Why did these people sit here for a half hour without service?' " she said. "The only thing he said was we could have a free meal and neither of us wanted to eat."

Cracker Barrel spokeswoman Julie Davis said the company doesn't "tolerate any form of discrimination."

"It has always been a violation of our policies and procedures and it is neither condoned nor allowed," she said. "We do not allow the type of behavior you are describing," Davis said.

Rock said she contacted the South Carolina Human Affairs Commission and was told her complaint would be handled, but "nothing ever happened."

The head of the commission, Jesse Washington, said Tuesday that after initial discussions, the complaint was finalized August 7 and his agency also was investigating. He would not comment on the complaint.

"We get thousands of charges coming through here in the course of a year," he said. "It's not out of line -- the time frame on this. It is being investigated and we will be in touch with her when we have a report."

The Rev. Al Sharpton will join Rock on Wednesday in South Carolina to announce that Sharpton's Action Network will finance the planned lawsuit.

"I'm getting reports from all over the country about Cracker Barrel," Sharpton said from New York on Tuesday.

He also said state officials are slow to act on such complaints.

"When people are talking about there is no more discrimination, a lot of it is because they are not following this stuff up," Sharpton said.

Cracker Barrel, established in 1969, operates 547 restaurants in 41 states, according to the company's Web site.

Georgetown is about 60 miles northeast of Charleston.

Okay, yes, Cracker Barrel does have a history of discrimination. However, I went to Friendly's one time and got the most appalling service I've ever had. Seated for 10 minutes before the waitress took our drink order. Another 30 minutes before she came back for our food order and then another 45 minutes before someone noticed that we hadn't been served at all. I believe we got a free meal out of that one.
Sometimes people drop the ball at restaurants. This seems to me to be more a case of 'don't you know who my son is???!'

[epchick]

Originally Posted by centaur532

http://www.cnn.com/2006/SHOWBIZ/Movi....ap/index.html



Okay, yes, Cracker Barrel does have a history of discrimination. However, I went to Friendly's one time and got the most appalling service I've ever had. Seated for 10 minutes before the waitress took our drink order. Another 30 minutes before she came back for our food order and then another 45 minutes before someone noticed that we hadn't been served at all. I believe we got a free meal out of that one.
Sometimes people drop the ball at restaurants. This seems to me to be more a case of 'don't you know who my son is???!'

Yep that is what it sounds like to me

I went to Denny's with a few friends, and the exact same thing happened to us. We were seated, then left for about 15 minutes before our drink orders were placed. 15 mins. later, we got our drinks. 30 minutes later we got to place our food order, and about 1 hour later we got our food. And the whole time we were waiting, the waitresses were talking to each other.

[RU OX Alum]

Cracker Barrel

[Dionysus]

I didn't know that black people still patronize Cracker Barrel. *semi-sarcastic* Their rep is worse than Denny's.

[AlexMack]

Originally Posted by RU OX Alum

Cracker Barrel

I couldn't make all the jokes in the OP now could I?

[ASUADPi]

Originally Posted by centaur532

http://www.cnn.com/2006/SHOWBIZ/Movi....ap/index.html




Sometimes people drop the ball at restaurants. This seems to me to be more a case of 'don't you know who my son is???!'

That is what I was thinking the entire time I read the article. I think we have all been to restuarants where we have had craptastic service. Unfortunately, THAT'S LIFE!

Sounds like mama dearest is a little caught up in son's celebrity status and wants everyone to drop what they are doing to help her. Doesn't work that way though. Welcome to the real world

[REE1993]

I wouldn't consider those "restaurants" as places where I would expect good service, let alone decent food. Come on, Denny's? Friendly's? Cracker Barrell?

-Denny's - nasty greasy breakfast food

-Friendly's - you get better choices at a state college cafeteria, it appeals to people with little kids who eat chicken nuggets and icecream

-Cracker barrell - artery-clogging, gravy-drenched "comfort food"

Any of those places are a gastronomic nightmare. I wouldn't expect much in the terms of service. If I was getting ppor service, I would have asked to speak to the manager after 10 minutes, not sued the place. What a frivolously litigious world we live in.

[orighu]

"He never called over the waitresses and asked, 'Why did these people sit here for a half hour without service?' " she said. "The only thing he said was we could have a free meal and neither of us wanted to eat."

[kddani]

I end up eating at Cracker Barrel fairly often when I travel b/c I'm usually going to some rinky dink town where there's not a whole hell of a lot. Or i'm driving somewhere and it's the only sit-down place close to the highway. I usually have excellent service, even just being a party of one (getting good service when it's just you... difficult pretty much ANYWHERE).

HOWEVER, everyone has had bad service SOMEWHERE, no matter who they are or the color of their skin.

There's absolutely no evidence of discrimination, unless i'm missing something. People like this, and the lawyers that willingly bring these suits, are the very people who create this sue-happy society.

[PM_Mama00]

Originally Posted by orighu

"He never called over the waitresses and asked, 'Why did these people sit here for a half hour without service?' " she said. "The only thing he said was we could have a free meal and neither of us wanted to eat."

And any restaurant manager... or ANY kind of manager... with tact and professionalism would never scold a worker in front of customers.

[Munchkin03]

It was prejudism son, straight--up prejudism.

Why oh why is Al Sharpton all up in this?

[Phasad1913]

Originally Posted by Munchkin03

.

Why oh why is Al Sharpton all up in this?

That's his job.

[MTSUGURL]

The last thing I heard (via the Kevin Miller morning show on the talk radio station here) was that the manager had sent her a formal apology, a gift basket, and certificates for a free meal. He explained that she was there during shift changes, and that her table had simply not been reassigned. Excusable? Definitely not - to me, nothing excuses such an oversight or poor service. Understandable? Yes, however inexcusable. Discrimination? I highly doubt it.