A group of special education students from Dr. James Craik Elementary School in Maryland were refused service at a Cracker Barrel restaurant in Waldorf, leading to backlash and criticism. The students, part of the ACHIEVE and SOAR programs, were on a field trip as part of community-based instruction. The incident sparked outrage among parents, who organized a protest at the restaurant, resulting in negative reviews flooding Yelp. Cracker Barrel responded by removing three employees, including the general manager, and opened an internal investigation. The restaurant claimed that a staffing shortage led to poor communication, resulting in a failure to meet service standards. Yelp temporarily disabled reviews of the restaurant due to the influx of attention. An organized protest, called #CanWeEatNow, has gained momentum and support on social media, with users from across the country expressing solidarity with the affected parents. Cracker Barrel has expressed regret over the incident and stated a commitment to creating a welcoming environment for all guests. The district superintendent, Maria Navarro, had initially claimed that the group was refused service at the restaurant, but Cracker Barrel disputed this, saying that the students were allowed to place a to-go order.
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