"Black Server Sues Cracker Barrel for Alleged Racism and Discrimination"

Roberta Mendez, a Black server at a Cracker Barrel restaurant in Tennessee, has initiated a federal lawsuit alleging extensive discrimination and racism in her workplace. Within the claims detailed in her August 21 complaint, Mendez describes an environment where white coworkers routinely subjected her to offensive slurs and derogatory names, including “nappy headed [N-word],” “burnt biscuit,” and “monkey.” One of her shift leaders allegedly made a blatant statement against her race, saying they “don’t like Black people.” Despite consistently meeting or exceeding her job performance expectations since starting at the establishment in 2015, Mendez asserts she faced less favorable treatment compared to her white peers who made racial remarks towards her.

In addition to verbal abuse, Mendez claims she endured physical aggression from colleagues, including being "pushed and hit.” Management reportedly segregated Black employees from white employees, worsening the discriminatory work conditions. When Mendez reported these abusive behaviors to supervisors, she asserts that instead of her coworkers being disciplined, she received disciplinary actions herself, including a write-up for an incident where she flagged inappropriate behavior by a fellow employee. When she sought help from Human Resources, she was allegedly advised against signing the disciplinary notice but saw no corrective measures taken to address her concerns.

Mendez's situation reportedly did not improve over time, leading her to file a formal grievance with Cracker Barrel's corporate offices in August 2024, explaining the mistreatment she and other Black workers faced. Although she formally raised her concerns, she was let go the following month under the pretext of violating company policy, while no repercussions were faced by her white colleagues for similar or more egregious behavior. Mendez's complaint suggests her firing was retaliation for her complaints regarding discrimination, a claim unsupported by any clear details about her alleged violation.

Her attorney, Kyle Biesecker, expressed hope that the evidence from the case would validate Mendez's allegations. Although Cracker Barrel has not yet issued a public statement regarding the lawsuit, this incident comes amid a history of the company facing accusations of racial discrimination and backlash from various activist groups for its policies and practices in the past. Mendez is now seeking both reinstatement to her position along with appropriate back pay, benefits, and other damages associated with her wrongful termination and the hostile work environment she claims to have endured due to discrimination against her race.