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Chris Rock's Mom in Cracker Barrel Discrimination Feud

WEDNESDAY OCTOBER 18 2006 9:00 AM

Submitted by Alyk. Edited By Alyk.

TAGS: Chris Rock, Rose Rock, Cracker Barrel, Discrimination, Rev Al Sharpton

Chris Rock�s mother announced she plans to sue the southern-based restaurant Cracker Barrel. Rose Rock claimed she faced racial discrimination during a recent trip to one of the restaurant�s franchises in South Carolina. What, you might ask, caused Ms. Rock to feel discriminated against? She said the hostess seated her upon her arrival, but then the wait staff ignored her for the next half hour.

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 an 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 claimed they are taking the complaint "very seriously," and plan to investigate it fully.

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.

Although Cracker Barrel doesn�t tolerate discrimination, the company recently defended itself against a federal inquiry focusing claims it refused service to black customers, and discriminated against black and gay employees.

Shooting straight to the top, Rose Rock contacted the Rev. Al Sharpton.

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.

Good way to spend your time while the waitress is ignoring you.

62 Comments

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witchhunter

Jackson, TN

February 2003

OCT 18, 2006 09:13 AM

Oh, Al Sharpton is getting involved. I'm sure he'll keep everyone calm and level headed.

MrCrisp

Charleston, SC

August 2004

OCT 18, 2006 09:16 AM

hello, the place is called cracker barrel.

zyryx

Tyler, TX

April 2004

OCT 18, 2006 09:29 AM

recently moving to the asshole of creation (also known as "the south") I did get a chance to eat at a Craker Barrel for the first time. all I can say is who the fuck would want to eat there in the first place? redneck assholes, bad food, country living... ugh

_lauren_

I'm lost

January 2003

OCT 18, 2006 09:35 AM

i hate it when people sit there for ages and then complain they the staff are ignoring them.

you have a mouth! you can say 'excuse me i want some fucking food!'

the place was probably busy. deal with it.

pascalpp

Brooklyn, NY

January 2004

OCT 18, 2006 09:53 AM

i always thought it was racist that they put all the white people in one restaurant and called it Cracker Barrel...

JackKetch

Athens, GA

September 2005

OCT 18, 2006 09:55 AM

If neither of them wanted to eat, why were they at cracker barrel?

The_Melon_Helmet

Oakton, VA

June 2006

OCT 18, 2006 09:59 AM

_lauren_ said:
i hate it when people sit there for ages and then complain they the staff are ignoring them.

you have a mouth! you can say 'excuse me i want some fucking food!'

the place was probably busy. deal with it.

Yeah, but it's a restaurant-- with a seating chart. Someone knew that that was their customer and busy or not, chose to ignore them. If you were the only woman in a restaurant otherwise filled with male customers-- wouldn't you find it at least a little bit irratating/suspcious if you were the only one not getting service; especially if the place had a documented history of mysoginistic practices?

KikiBH

Washington, DC

December 2004

OCT 18, 2006 09:59 AM

I have no idea if they were discriminated against or not, but who in their right mind sits at a table waiting for service for THIRTY MINUTES?? I get steamed after 5! I would've raised hell.

OctoberSeven

Downers Grove, IL

December 2002

OCT 18, 2006 09:59 AM

Good lord, if I sued everytime I had to wait before being served for half an hour in restaraunt...

KikiBH

Washington, DC

December 2004

OCT 18, 2006 10:06 AM

Penfold said:
Good lord, if I sued everytime I had to wait before being served for half an hour in restaraunt...

Are you being serious? You've really waited on multiple occassions for 30 mins for service?

Avalon13Chase

Baltimore, MD

June 2006

OCT 18, 2006 10:07 AM

i have a 10 minute limit..then i get up and leave..i complain, and leave why stay if you are getting blown off..and the way i look at it is, if they are so busy they cant serve you chances are they are so busy they cant prepare the food right

MrCrisp

Charleston, SC

August 2004

OCT 18, 2006 10:09 AM

KikiBH said:

Penfold said:
Good lord, if I sued everytime I had to wait before being served for half an hour in restaraunt...

Are you being serious? You've really waited on multiple occassions for 30 mins for service?

it happened to me a couple times over the past month, but i didn't go overboard and threaten to sue; i just didn't leave a tip.

formerviking

Denver, PA

May 2006

OCT 18, 2006 10:10 AM

I have once or twice . Anymore though , I just take it as a sign they don't need my money bad enough & leave .

KikiBH

Washington, DC

December 2004

OCT 18, 2006 10:13 AM

MrCrisp said:

KikiBH said:

Penfold said:
Good lord, if I sued everytime I had to wait before being served for half an hour in restaraunt...

Are you being serious? You've really waited on multiple occassions for 30 mins for service?

it happened to me a couple times over the past month, but i didn't go overboard and threaten to sue; i just didn't leave a tip.

Yeah, I would never sue (unless I felt legitimately discriminated against) but I would certainly not wait that long for service. Anywhere. Ever.

apesamongus

Atlanta, GA

July 2002

OCT 18, 2006 10:17 AM

Shit, you already wait for a hour and a half to get a table at Cracker Barrel, what'a another half hour as long as you're sitting down.

I've walked out of a place before for being ignored, but it never dawned on me to sue.

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