Cracker Barrel review: Sexism, racism & favoritism 22

I completely agree with all the mentioned! I work in a Cracker Barrel in NY and there is so much favortism it infuriates me. First of all our GM is way to young and immature to have his own store even though he has been with the company for 10 years and started as a server! HIs 'favorites" can do anything they please but if a non favorite does something they get yelled at - Our recent "employee of the Year" (which is a joke itself) just stood next to him and other managers texting on her phone. We also have another manager that has been there quite a few years that just loves the "hot" employees and has verifiable ties to a certain one. The worst part about our managment staff is that all with the exception of our GM who has just been there almost 2 years - is that they have all been in one store for too long with out moving up or moving out! What store #410 in Binghamton NY needs is a fresh new management team all the way around! and to get a more mature GM that is just not into it for the money - he is a real snob! BOTTOM LINE IT NEEDS A HOUSE CLEANING!

Our store resembles yours, the more you complain about unfair rulings the more retaliation begins decaying the hardworking employees that are doing the work of the favorites while they stand around chatting and googgling the managers attention. Our ETC left and now we have another one, apparently, younger. One of our other 20yr employees applied for this possition, with alot of experience in this area, this is the second time she applied for this position and was bypassed for someone who dosen't have experience but, apparently tjis younger person has experience in munipulating how to gain through our management/

I am so frusrtated with unfairness to good employees compared to less experienced new hires.

I agree .when I do leave this employer, I will probably NEVER go there for any reason, and neither will my followers.

I have been with Crackerbarrel for over 20 years. Normally, I would disagree with these complaints of favortism and descrimination. Here lately. I really have noticed soooooo much unfair and biased treatment towards certain employess that I am considering contacting a lawyer. Due to fear of retaliation, I will not say at which store I work, but it is in Tn. It is sure coincidental that since the economy went bad, and Crackerbarrel remained as one of the top restaurants in sales, (given how it's bragged about by the higher ups from the home office) that their treatment and respect once held for their employees have all but diminished. In my opinion, their extremely hateful and individually selfish attitude is that since there are so many people in need of employment, we as employees can either accept being treated as less than and be manipulated, or become unemployed. I have seen all the managers go from "being proud to be working with each employee" to "impatient and intollerant" towards all employees. I have also seen an significant increase of (unfair) written referrals and demotions also . As well as biased evaluations, at one store that I use to work at, recently, the general manager intentionally failed all par 4's, except skill trainers and a selected limited few, ( maybe for it to look random). I know their were servers and other employees who have never failed an evaluation until then. (your talking tenure of 15 yars or more, and all of a sudden, they failed?) All employees have been treated poorly. Those that passed, well, lets just say they are younger, or cuter, or ?( I know they all do things wrong that others either get in trouble for, or will get took off on eval's) I think this is an act that managers use to show the home office that they are doing their jobs. (job security) I believe this abuse isn't going to stop any time soon either. As long as the managers feel threatened, long term employees like myself are at risk. My question to them is " what has changed so much that not even your tenure par 4's cannot seem to work at a par 4 level?" Who is really responsible for this? I know one district manager or is to "passionate" or proud to be on any employees level respectively! He hi a very bitter and angry person.Are the higher ups like Stan Warner actually aware that he may be in the process of being played by his managers, both district and store managers. After all "perception is reality" so they say. Or is their actual arrogant attitude finally beginning to take its toll. I have many issues with crackerbarrel, and after more that 20 years, I pray they lose everything! Whose being took for the ride, them or us? If any one would like to start a class action lawsuite, I know you will have quite the turnout as far as the amount of employees that will join. I know I would sign today.

I feel the same way about my employment with Cracker Barrel and now I have legal advice.

Discrimination is going strong at Cracker Barrel. I here sexual comments, I here racist comments...managers do not care. Cracker Barrel does not care as long as you are making a goal hour.

cracker barrel is full of [censor](excuse the language)but it is, what it is, and ima keep this as blunt as possible.I absolutely hate working for cracker barrel.i been working at CB for 3years now at store 520 in Orlando, and since i started, it has been nothing but racism, and favoritism. The managers SUCK except for YOLANDA, BILLY and ROY. The rest of them swear they know everything, in reality they don't.Our management team are rude as [censor], they feel as if because they are managers, they can do what they please, and talk to anyone how ever they want.Its crazy to me to hear that the GM (jennifer)(who is married but in love with another manager(billy)want people to refer to her as the "TERMINATOR", cause all she wants to do is get rid of all the old employees(cause we're making 'to much')and hire new college kids, whose basically not gonna care with how much u start them off with.now if that's not [censor] i don't what is.The managers don't do [censor] except talk about employees. CB do not care about their employees, all they care about is target items, and making goal hour, and i know cracker barrel is racist as [censor], i refuse to tell or let anyone know that i work for cracker barrel.I get embarrase when someone i know see me in there working.CB is the worse place to work in, and i know home office dont give a [censor], as long as they making money.and every two seconds loss prevention is at that [censor]ing store, letting the best employees go, i swear its like loss prevention sleep at our store.one thing that i'm soooooo lost about is, how we have so much ma[censor]ers that been working there for less than a year, sell and trade drugs EVERYDAY, and managers know about it, and who is involve, still work there, over an employee that's been there for almost 3years go, over eating an andes mint before paying for it?what the [censor]?uuugghhh that place honestly discuss me, and that is why i plan on quitting on our busiest day, and not say [censor] to anyone, just in the middle of the rush im gonna walk out.simple as that

managers always think they can rule anyone and get away with it. big companys are hard to defend yourself because of their known name. i am sorry you have to go through this! it's disgusting!

I know exactly what you are saying, and I have taken my complaint to the EEOC, it is still being investigated by an enforcement intake representative. I sent them copies of emails to the corporate office about my situation and the response from the HR. Also gave them names of different employees and their potential problems. I so want this company to straighten up or just loose their credibility to the business world, if they do not want to treat employees the way they should. I was a long time employee of going on 16yrs and the vision we were given at orientation that employees were to be treated with respect as much as the external and internal guest. That what it was founded on and the owner believed in humanity. Things have changed since the company is no longer owned by the original owners. My store has burnt alot of bridges between me and my followers. and as it goes Cracker Barrel believed in "word of mouth" for advertising and so be it. to me that says alot, time will take its course, but as far as the ones who have been hurt, it may heal wounds someday, I will never go into another Cracker Barrel.

It's good to hear that you are having this investigated. I am a former long term employee who was actually physically assaulted by my gen manager to do something that I was already doing. (cooking) I was dipping veg. My manager wanted me to take tickets to the other side of dip line and finish. I was going to do so when I finished the ticket I was working on, but he instead wanted to argue about me doing exactly what he said w/out a second thought and literally w/out a second to respond. During the argument, he grabbed me by my upper arm and shoved me toward the window. I finished my shift and never went back, not even for my paycheck. I have yet to complain of this to the home office, basically because I don't totally trust them either. I do feel I may have a lawsuit but wish to further research to see if there may be a class action lawsuit. ( I'm not confident that CB would allow their employees to know about.) Basically, to find out the best way to handle this.

Your problems are exactly the same where I worked. It is so plain to see. I think these problems are company wide. I was also a server when I also got a complaint. I was offered a position in the kitchen in order to keep my job. I have been with the company 20 years. And after I was placed on the grill, my hours went from 35 to 40 as a waitress to 10 to 15 on the grill while other cooks were getting 5 to 6 full shifts a week. There reasoning I don't think I will discuss online and without a lawyer. But yes, I have also noticed that the newer and younger employees are being favored. I also had the feeling that I was being treated this way was so that I would quit( like I was a thorn in their side, damaging to them). I don't know why they didn't just fire me, but I'm sure they had a self deserving reason not to . For the evals, I think they are a joke. I have never failed an eval, then all of a sudden, It came to that I couldn't pass one to save my life, or even go 30 days w/out a write up. I don't think we should just go away. This all seems very premeditated to me. It's not an isolated issue by any means. Too many people, especially servers seem to have a lot of the same complaints. I say "CLASS ACTION ALL THE WAY!"

I also work for Cracker Barrel in Pigeon Forge, TN (light #1) I totally agree that if the managers like you that you will get good shifts alsong with good sections.In our store there is a girl who is harassed daily.There is another server who works there who does nothing...He waslks out at end of shift and dont do any of the closing duties.If he does them then he takes other servers sugar caddies and salt and pepper shakers and changes their full ones for his empty ones.He has been caught so many times.The whole management staff has been told on many occasions about the stunts he pulls and yet nothing ever gets done.So about a week ago this server again told a manager.When the server found out he had been caught he told everone that he didnt do that but it was the girl who did it.Not only did he not stop at telling all kinds of untruths to staff, he text the girls husband and said she never works that shes sleeping with a grill cook and uses work as a cover.Then he sent a message to the girls 14 years old daughter on facebook and told the little girl her mom is a horror and not to show up to work again.Then still on evey shift tells all kinds of untruths to cause trouble.This girl will help anyone with anything...So what did the management staff do? She was told that if she wanted to keep her job that she would not speak to anyone, she was written up for violation of Crackers Barrel's Rule of Conduct number 14, not cause or participate in an assult, fight, argument, or other disturbance.But yet this guy calls her a "[censor]ING [censor]" in the alcove and causes all kinds of fighting among shifts.He will tell you that Donna likes him and he can do whatever he wants.Since the incident the manager one night took all her silverware and unrolled it, counted it and checked it.Then one day the manager LYNN kept on her and only her to change red santi buckets every hour.Everything she did that night LYNN had something to say.They took away 2 days of work.When the next schedule came out they changed her days to only 4 days 5-8pm.The rest of us get OT.Then on Saturday she tried to pick up a shift and they told her NO.She is scheduled now to be the last one in and she is always the first one cut.Her tables are skipped at rotation.This girl is a very hard worker who stays after and helps everyone roll, clean and do tables.This is just a tidbit to what really goes on.This girl crys everyshift in the bathroom because she needs her job and cant afford to quit or be fired.All this harassement is a result of her reporting the TRUTH to a manager.The general manager DONNA says that she has turned it in to the Corporation but I think thats a load of [censor].They have even fired another employee when he asked the manager LYNN not to speak to him like that. We were really busy and we had long tickets and were understaffed when Neal reached for something and she screamed at him then when he needed something else he asked and she once again screamed...SHUT UP! This man did nothing wrong he needed something for a guest and I thought thats what our job was.I could go on and on about how these managers treat people when they do something that they dont like.So I totally agree with statement that Cracker Barrel treats people unfair, and let harasment go on.They bully people into doing what they want because they know finding a job right now is tough.Dont support the actions of Cracker Barrel!

I believe everything that is said in all of these complaints, just remember EEOC, I have filed paperwork with them and it is just a matter of time. This has to stop some how, that is why a class action has to happen or file with the Employee Equal Opportunity Commission" in your state, it is a government agency. Like I said all my followers and I will never patronize this company. Cracker Barrel believed in "word of mouth" as advertising and this says the same thing for the ones who have been mistreated or retaliated against in whatever abuse can more or less boycott them. I with all of you. I am still in trauma from the wrongful tactics they put on my employment. My EX GM was so wrong. It will bite him in the rear. Just hang in there and voice this to the right authorities.

The 410 store is ridiculous. I worked there awhile ago but im sure nothings changed by now. The par 4's would rat on anyone below them...sometimes it was true what they said but most of the time it was just to start issues or become the managers best buddy. And the worst part is they would always get away with not doing work, texting, etc...but certain others would be spoken to who actually do their work. A restaurant should not be about who can fit in a small group at work, text, rat on others...it should be respected as a place where people work hard and provide good service to customers. As far as im concerned everyone should act like team, not a competitor. The atmosphere there creates havoc foe customers, employees, managers. I dont even think there should be par levels. It creates a sense of disconnect, degrades you to a number, and forces competition. Why do that?

My cracker barrel just opened like three weeks ago or so.
I was doing great as a retail sales associate, but in the past week, people haven't been coming, so it's hard to sell the ridiculous concept of "target items." Managers are fine(except mine), being that it is a new store so they are pretty good about not picking favorites.
My manager is the issue however. She's not very friendly, and a girl who was sick one day couldn't talk, and she was being horribly rude to her.
The girl COULDN'T talk---- so she just smiled at the guests coming in. The manager got pissed off and said, "Welcome to Cracker Barrel!" Walked up to her and said, "That's how it's done." And walked away.
And just yesterday my manager was gone, and another retail manager from another store came in to fill her place.
Instantly, within an hour of her being there---- she was picking on me, and treating me like I was low dirt. I am a passive person, but... I don't stand for that, and there's no use in complaining to my manager because there's no point. She's not my Retail manager. But how she treated me and looked at me like I was 15. I look 15, and in truth I am 22, 23 in a month, and I look young. But just because I look young doesn't mean you have to talk to me like I'm a little girl. I can't stand that, I'm an adult. I have gone through my whole life being treated like a child. I want to wear a shirt that says, Don't be fooled about my age. I just might be older than you(lol)...
Well anyway, to get to the point. This RM, she was talking to a guest. And she was telling that person about one of the items in the store... "Oh I have that, and I painted it black! It's so beautiful."
She told me... afterwards, "Yeah I have been known to lie. I don't own that thing."
I was SO disgusted with her actions. I was about to say, "Oh and since when is dishonesty a good sales tactic?" But I couldn't... I had to keep my mouth shut.
But even my job was to greet guests... She'd overpower my voice and take over my greets.
I want to talk to my Retail manager about it, but she's not very friendly...
I want to quit, but I have to keep the job a little while longer until I find something better.
Sigh, I thought this place would be a great place to work for, but what I've seen so far is pretty bad. I know that you find this everywhere, but I have heard so many people saying that Cracker barrel is a TERRIBLE place to work for. And I'm starting to believe it!
Cutting my hours because I'm not making enough in sales?
Ok. So I'm a person who needs money to help my mom out, and 2 or three days of work is ridiculous.
I'm going to turn my apron in as soon as I can.

I worked at store 15 in Cookeville for almost ten years. In the past two years, they have systematically written up and fired eight of us older workers.

Four of us have filed age discrimination charges with the EEOC. We are looking to make it a class action. If you have worked for Cracker Barrel in the past 300 days, we would love you to join us.

Check out our website, http://www.thebarrelhatesoldtimers.com/ It's not fully functional yet, but will be soon.

Looking forward to hearing from you soon.

Cyndie

i totally agree with everything that is being said here. I am not gonna lie when i say i am a new hire i have been at the store im at for 3 months but i have been there enough to know that favoritism is rampant. There is one girl there who makes my life a living hell. She treats me like dirt, criticizes everything that i do, and talks about me behind my back and when i went to the managers and reported it nothing got done. she stands around and doesn't help run food, she doesnt do her side work or roll silverware, and she doesn't get in any trouble but yet one night one of the hard workers did her side work and rolled her silverware and got signed for it and left just to turn around and come in the next day and got fired because they said she didn't do any of it. im pretty sure all of the stores are the same in the sense that you have to get a paper signed by the manager and the checker before you can get your tips and leave. I only get a long with the GM at the store. all the other managers treat me like garbage. I went at talked to the gm and he said that they act that way because i am new. Is that anyway to treat a new hire? then they wonder why a lot of the new hires don't last very long. Something needs to be done about this. I am a grown woman who will not put up with work bullies. I called her out on her not doing her sidework the other day because it was the busiest day of the year and she didn't do her silverware or her side work and i said something about it and then the next thing i know i had to roll her silver and do her sidework on top of my own. I think if the GM would have still been there i wouldn't have but he wasnt. I love my job but not the management. something has got to be done.

Cracker Barrel store number 301, 5040 Academy Drive Bessmer Alabama, store manager Arthur Thigpen
July 14 2016 around 1:45 pm we arrived at the restaurant, not that many cars in the parking lot, I'm thinking good it won't take long to and we will be eating. We had just attended a funeral of a family member. There were 10 people in our group 5 children and 5 adults my wife and myself included the adults age 63 to 40 children 13 to 6 yrs old. I dropped my wife, daughter and her two children off at the door I went to park. I entered the store and waited about 25 minutes and asked my wife if we were signed in she said my son signed us in about 19 minutes past and I went and ask my son if he signed us in and he said he did not, I go to the hosts and sign us in, she said give me 10 to 15 minutes and your table will be ready we are clearing tables now. I'm walking around the store bump into my daughter she says wonder what is taking so long I said no one signed us in she said I signed us in when I came in, the hosts said give her 10 to15 minutes and you're table Will be ready, now we are about 30 minutes into this wait (keep in mind there is no waiting list) they are taking people as they come in, the restaurant is not crowded they seated a group of5 at a round table in the rear we could have air at another group of 6or7 came in and got the round table behind the hosts that we could have set at. I went to my son told him we we will have to go somewhere else they are not going to serve us ( we are at about 45 minutes waiting min now) my wife goes to the entry to the kitchen and one of the waiters ask wa she with the group of 10, she said yes and and the group of waitresses start discussing who is going to have to serve us and are they going to have to clean up afterward as well. My wife ask to see the manager after 8 to 10 minutes pass I go get her and tell her to come on we had been there long enough. Now is when it gets interesting after retrieving my wife from the kitchen wating on the manager that did not come out, I am at the front paying fo some items my wife had picked out and the manager (Mr. Thigpen ) arrives and very boldly wants to know who wants to see the manager, my son very politely starts by telling him 10 people have been waiting over 45 minutes to be seated and we don't appreciate it, he gets cut off by the manager and told he doesn't care how long we have been waiting and that he doesn't appreciate us cussing his employees we did not curse anyone and didn't get load or rude until Mr. Thigpen starts this fight in the store.
I don't do this type complaining, I have taken bad food the wrong food very poor service rude waitresses and not say a word but I have not seen or witnessed anything like this. my whole family loves Cracker Barrel, My son told Mr.Thigpen that he would not be back to this restaurant Mr.Thigpen said he didn't care, CAN YOU BELIEVE THAT! He just told my whole family and everyone listen he didn't care if they ate there or not ( very sad ) I know it is hard to find professional and competent help my son that was involved in is in management and I have been in management for 36 yrs this attitude was deplorable from the servers to the manager, you may stay in business with this kind of attitude but that is about all.

Owensboro store 420
I would advise anyone looking for a job to go elsewhere, quite frankly anywhere else. Manager s change so frequently that nothing is consistent. The new manger named Russ came in his first day cussing and belittling every employee, stating he was going to fire and I quote "Every MR Dr in the place" . Some of us folks have been here since it opened almost 20 years ago and we are being harassed and treated like slaves. I have never ever seen or heard of the things this man says to his employees. God help us because no one from corporate seems to care. I am currently looking for another job as I post this. I am truly heart broken after all my years of good employment would go down the drain in this manner. I do know that almost every employee has recorded this man and are continuing to do so in order to form a lawsuit against such pathetic behavior. I'm recording myself but at this point it's just time to move on. Shame on this man!

Rodney, not sure if you are a GM or what position you hold but you need to check you treatment of workers.

If what she shared in her report was accurate, you should be reviewed immediately and suspended until you have the interpersonal skills to manage employees that work for you.

Disgusting to read these posts!