A pro-Trump legal advocacy group is coming after Cracker Barrel over its diversity, equity and inclusion policies.
America First Legal (AFL), a conservative nonprofit founded by Trump aide Stephen Miller, this week asked state and federal officials to investigate the family-dining chain over “potential violations of federal and state civil rights laws” related to DEI.
It appeared to be the first public attack on a restaurant company’s DEI policies under the second Trump administration, which has worked to dismantle DEI initiatives in both the public and private sectors.
The administration has argued that DEI programs, which aim to provide equal opportunities and representation for marginalized groups, are discriminatory.
AFL accused the Lebanon, Tennessee-based Cracker Barrel of making “unlawful commitments" to diversity and inclusion by promoting a diverse workforce and providing employment benefits to certain races and sexes.
It pointed to Cracker Barrel's efforts to hire and develop workers from diverse backgrounds, and noted that the chain keeps track of the demographics of its workforce. It also called out the company's internal resource groups for Black, Hispanic and Latino, LGBTQ+ and female employees aimed at supporting their career development.
AFL argued that these practices violate civil rights laws by treating people differently based on their race or sex.
“Cracker Barrel is almost as American as apple pie,” said Nicholas Barry, AFL senior counsel, in a statement. “If Cracker Barrel is discriminating against its employees and trying to hide it, it is failing to live up to its own brand and internal standards. The government should vigorously enforce its civil rights laws and ensure any such discrimination is rooted out and destroyed.”
Cracker Barrel had not responded to a request for comment as of publication time.
The 650-unit chain is known for its old-timey decor, comfort food and gift shops selling knick-knacks and other items. Its CEO, Julie Felss Masino, is one of the few female chief executives in the restaurant industry.
Trump has taken aggressive action against DEI since taking office in January, using executive orders and other strategies to target diversity programs both in and outside of the government. The moves have led to pressure on private companies to roll back their policies, often from conservative groups like AFL.
A number of companies, including Meta, Walmart, Disney and Target, have scaled back DEI goals and programs as a result. In some cases, the changes have sparked backlash from the other side of the political spectrum, such as calls to boycott Target.
McDonald’s in January said it will stop setting goals for representation in hiring and will no longer require suppliers to sign DEI commitments. It also changed the name of its diversity team to the global inclusion team.
The burger giant said it made the changes after doing an internal civil rights audit and in the wake of a 2023 Supreme Court ruling that banned affirmative action programs at colleges and universities. But the company said it is still committed to inclusion and will operate using a “golden rule” policy to treat everyone fairly.
Members help make our journalism possible. Become a Restaurant Business member today and unlock exclusive benefits, including unlimited access to all of our content. Sign up here.