Cracker Barrel hasn't always had the most welcoming policies towards the LGBTQ+ community but that's changed over the years. They've become far more inclusive since the early 2000s when shareholders added sexual orientation to their non-discrimination policy. Since then, Cracker Barrel has taken a stance against homophobia and other types of discrimination against the LGBTQ+ community. Most recently, the company received praise for barring an anti-gay pastor from one of their stores in Tennessee.
Grayson Fritts, a pastor/county police detective, previously made statements calling for the execution and arrest of gay people in Tennessee. He had a plan to host an event for the All Scripture Baptist Church at a Cracker Barrel later this month. After the Tennessee Democratic Party caught wind of this, they issued an open letter to the CEO of the company, Sandra Cochran, calling on them to review the event. The company pledge of inclusivity and diversity calls for "fairness, mutual respect and equal opportunity" within the company.
"We work hard every day to foster a culture that is welcoming and inclusive," a tweet from Cracker Barrel read along with a full statement on their decision to bar the pastor. Off the rip, they made it clear that they have no actual connection to Fritts or the All Scripture Baptist church. The continued to cite their corporate policy which "strictly prohibits any type of protest or public demonstration on our property or in our stores" before revealing that they've notified All Scripture Baptist that they're not welcome to the Cracker Barrel.
