Cracker Barrel has gotten my last dime. I do realize the guy had previous violations but to write somebody up for having a fountain drink or giving a homeless man a muffin is pretty cold.

Vietnam veteran, 73, loses job at Cracker Barrel after giving muffin to needy man | Fox News (http://www.foxnews.com/us/2014/06/29/vietnam-veteran-73-loses-job-at-cracker-barrel-after-giving-muffin-to-needy-man/)

Cracker Barrel has gotten my last dime. I do realize the guy had previous violations but to write somebody up for having a fountain drink or giving a homeless man a muffin is pretty cold.

Vietnam veteran, 73, loses job at Cracker Barrel after giving muffin to needy man | Fox News (http://www.foxnews.com/us/2014/06/29/vietnam-veteran-73-loses-job-at-cracker-barrel-after-giving-muffin-to-needy-man/)the manager who fired that guy won't be working for long..... I'm willing to bet the guy will get hi S job back, if he even wants it....

the manager who fired that guy won't be working for long..... I'm willing to bet the guy will get hi S job back, if he even wants it....

Read the company's response...no way he is getting hired back.


“Mr. Koblenzer has worked as a host at Cracker Barrel’s Sarasota store since April 2011. During the time he was employed, he violated the Company’s policies regarding consuming food without paying or giving away free food, on five separate occasions. Mr. Koblenzer received multiple counselings and written warnings reminding him about the company’s policies and the consequences associated with violating them. On the fifth occasion, again per Company policy, Mr. Koblenzer was terminated.
Cracker Barrel is grateful for and honors Mr. Koblenzer’s service to our country as we honor all service men and women and their families.”

Wow.. My fault for not really looking into it.

I can see now why they did what they did. If he has been doing it consistently, he is overstepping his boundaries here. I understand he wanted to help someone, but they have to draw the line.

I THOUGHT this was gonna be something "racial." You know...the word "Cracker."

Cracker Barrel has gotten my last dime. I do realize the guy had previous violations but to write somebody up for having a fountain drink or giving a homeless man a muffin is pretty cold.

Vietnam veteran, 73, loses job at Cracker Barrel after giving muffin to needy man | Fox News (http://www.foxnews.com/us/2014/06/29/vietnam-veteran-73-loses-job-at-cracker-barrel-after-giving-muffin-to-needy-man/)

I'll give them an extra dime to cover yours... He is a vet, and I honor him for that, but that doesn't give him a pass for violating company policy, especially after second, third and fourth chances... it wasn't his property to give away.

Im getting kind of tired of publications putting people military backgrounds in story headlines to garner sympathy and support for someone that doesn't deserve it. Just because you served doesn't mean you get free passes (although it seemed like this man got a few passes). Rules are rules.

Im getting kind of tired of publications putting people military backgrounds in story headlines to garner sympathy and support for someone that doesn't deserve it. Just because you served doesn't mean you get free passes (although it seemed like this man got a few passes). Rules are rules.
agreed.. being a veteran is very honorable and I give you much respect..
however it is not a free pass and doesn't mean you are necesarily the most upstanding citizen today.
if he wants to help others perhaps he should volunteer in his time away from work.

Im getting kind of tired of publications putting people military backgrounds in story headlines to garner sympathy and support for someone that doesn't deserve it. Just because you served doesn't mean you get free passes (although it seemed like this man got a few passes). Rules are rules.

Yeah, that tactic really rubbed me the wrong way in the last election season. Subtracting entirely the political aspect of it, this one candidate was perpetually shoving his material around with his military accoutrements ablazin', and after a time it got a little....inauthentic. I mean, I'm grateful you served the country, and you deserve every accolade you get for that in my book, but that doesn't automatically qualify you for XYZ public office.

It is really easy to give stuff away when it isn't yours to give. In the article, the man is quoted as saying if the company had asked him to pay for it he would have. I say, if he really wanted to give that man that muffin he should have paid for it in the first place.

The lack of empathy here is just mind boggling. Mr. Koblenzer did not take money out of the register, he gave a homeless man a corn muffin. I took the time to call CB and was told they do not even sell individual corn muffins, they are given away individually for free. Yeah he took a fountain drink also. Anybody who has worked in the food industry knows beverage sales are a cash cow. What costs the restaurant 5 cents is sold for a couple of bucks. Most places consider this an employee benefit that does not cost much of anything and is a morale booster. This guy made a paltry 8 bucks an hour for three years and you just kick him to the curb for being a human being who was looking out for a member of the human race who was hungry. I urge all concerned to quit doing business with these grubbing misers.

The lack of empathy here is just mind boggling. Mr. Koblenzer did not take money out of the register, he gave a homeless man a corn muffin. I took the time to call CB and was told they do not even sell individual corn muffins, they are given away individually for free. Yeah he took a fountain drink also. Anybody who has worked in the food industry knows beverage sales are a cash cow. What costs the restaurant 5 cents is sold for a couple of bucks. Most places consider this an employee benefit that does not cost much of anything and is a morale booster. This guy made a paltry 8 bucks an hour for three years and you just kick him to the curb for being a human being who was looking out for a member of the human race who was hungry. I urge all concerned to quit doing business with these grubbing misers.

If you and Kelroy are going to protest CB at least do it for a good reason like not donating or giving out charity. Not for firing an employee who took it upon himself to redistribute wealth. I wonder how you would like it if I Robin Hood your belongings to "the needy".

Sure they give out corn muffins "for free"......to paying customers who buy other things. I'm sure a Mexican restaurant isn't going to like it when its employees start giving out free chips and salsa to everyone that walks to the front door.

The lack of empathy here is just mind boggling. Mr. Koblenzer did not take money out of the register, he gave a homeless man a corn muffin. I took the time to call CB and was told they do not even sell individual corn muffins, they are given away individually for free. Yeah he took a fountain drink also. Anybody who has worked in the food industry knows beverage sales are a cash cow. What costs the restaurant 5 cents is sold for a couple of bucks. Most places consider this an employee benefit that does not cost much of anything and is a morale booster. This guy made a paltry 8 bucks an hour for three years and you just kick him to the curb for being a human being who was looking out for a member of the human race who was hungry. I urge all concerned to quit doing business with these grubbing misers.

You may be right that its a common practice among food service workers.. but if he had been told on 5 seperate occasions to stop.. don't you think you would?.. it seems he was determined to push the limits. this is not about an isolated incodent where he gave away a corn muffin.

He did nothing to enrich himself. He was giving something that is offered for free to others, to someone in need. I mentioned it was not an isolated incident, but come on now what is the value of the goods are we talking here? I guess I am not capable of the black/white worldview that other profess.

He did nothing to enrich himself. He was giving something that is offered for free to others, to someone in need. I mentioned it was not an isolated incident, but come on now what is the value of the goods are we talking here? I guess I am not capable of the black/white worldview that other profess.

I am with you had he not been warned of this prior. and on several occassions. I was outraged when I saw a headline. then when I read the entire story it became more clear. if he wants to volunteer on his time then go for it. bake muffins and hand them out to homeless all day long on your day off, However your employer has told you not to do this, and its against thier policy and to cease or suffer the consiquences. he chose to continue.. seems pretty easy to understand to me.

I give to people in need, I volunteer at food banks, I get it. but he can't just give away what isn't his and he was told that

I'd be a bit more sympathetic to Cracker Barrel's stance of 'its not his food to give away' if it wasn't for the fact that their dumpster is filled with food left over from the way too big of portions they serve and discard.

Seems like the guy is taking it realistically. He knew he broke the rules and he isn't making excuses. Personally, I'd find a place for him in Cracker Barrel where he could help the establishments donate unused but still edible food (like panera and other food places do). Would make for good PR - "We had an employee that couldn't stop giving our food way, so we made a position for him where he could do just that...."

I'd be a bit more sympathetic to Cracker Barrel's stance of 'its not his food to give away' if it wasn't for the fact that their dumpster is filled with food left over from the way too big of portions they serve and discard.

Seems like the guy is taking it realistically. He knew he broke the rules and he isn't making excuses. Personally, I'd find a place for him in Cracker Barrel where he could help the establishments donate unused but still edible food (like panera and other food places do). Would make for good PR - "We had an employee that couldn't stop giving our food way, so we made a position for him where he could do just that...."

I was thinking that as well.. seems at offense #2 they should have had an AH HA moment and began donating food to shelters that was left at end of the day. similar to Panera.

First, the guy was clearly in the wrong, regardless of his intentions.

Second, Cracker Barrel seems like a extremely rigid and uncompromising place to work.

Third, I'll still eat there anyway. I go there for the food, not to make a statement about how I feel about their policies.

I like Brian's idea though. That would be PR gold.

Rules are rules.... when you own a large company, you can't let people get away with even the little stuff or it will eventually turn into to a sense of entitlement for the employees doing whatever they want.

There is probably no one out there that gets as frustrated as I do when I see food being dumped in a dumpster, but I'm siding with CB on this one. They gave him breaks before, you only get so many chances.

I wonder how you would like it if I Robin Hood your belongings to "the needy".

Like the Government does on a daily basis?

Like the Government does on a daily basis?

Yes, CB doesn't need to worry about its employees doing it also. If doing this became okay, you would have others taking food and claiming their doing it for charity.

Not the employee's call to make. Plain and simple.

Wow. There is really no empathy left in this world it seems. A guy was hungry, so he gave him food. Would you watch someone starve to death because there is a piece of paper saying that you can't feed the needy?

Wow. There is really no empathy left in this world it seems. A guy was hungry, so he gave him food. Would you watch someone starve to death because there is a piece of paper saying that you can't feed the needy?
Look at it this way. He could have bought the guy a lunch once a week, but now he can't because he no longer has a job. He did the homeless guy more harm than good by doing something that got himself fired. Sure he had good intentions, but he went about it in an illegal way.

It would be no different than if he had gone into a grocery store and shoplifted some food and gave it to the guy.

Wow. There is really no empathy left in this world it seems. A guy was hungry, so he gave him food. Would you watch someone starve to death because there is a piece of paper saying that you can't feed the needy?

Rules are rules. Every company has crazy ones. Restaurants have crazy ones that involve food is all.

Look at it this way. He could have bought the guy a lunch once a week, but now he can't because he no longer has a job. He did the homeless guy more harm than good by doing something that got himself fired. Sure he had good intentions, but he went about it in an illegal way.

It would be no different than if he went into a grocery store and shoplifted some food and gave or to the guy.

How would you of helped this poor man that was starving?

Rules are rules. Every company has crazy ones. Restaurants have crazy ones that involve food is all.

Do you blindly accept these rules? Do you not question why the rules are in place?

How would you of helped this poor man that was starving?
Either buy the guy a lunch, or at least plead with the manager for permission to give away something.

According to the article, the homeless guy didn't even ask for food, he asked for a few condiment packets to go along with some fish he was going to cook. No mention of whether or not it's okay for the employee to give out condiment packets.

Where is the compassion? Who cares about these fine print rules? Instead of following words written on a piece of paper, how about we look at another human and ask if he is okay?

Do you blindly accept these rules? Do you not question why the rules are in place?
LOL, when they apply to your job and you want to keep it, you should. By all means, feel free to rage against "the man"; just be prepared for consequences.

LOL, when they apply to your job and you want to keep it, you should. By all means, feel free to rage against "the man"; just be prepared for consequences.

So if there is another human laying next to you dying, you wouldn't give him a biscuit because it is against the rules?

OK, so...that is NOT what happened in this case.

Where is the compassion? Who cares about these fine print rules? Instead of following words written on a piece of paper, how about we look at another human and ask if he is okay?

Joe probably should have asked if the homeless was okay since, according to the article, there really wasn't anything indicating that the "homeless" was actually homeless other than his appearance. With the just the clothes in my closet, I've gone out and been mistaken for homeless and also much better than off I am (or at least was at the time). Appearances can be deceiving. Joe certainly meant well, but he may have just been giving some dude a muffin when he was just going to go home and cook some fish.

These kinds of situations aren't so simple as people like to make them out to be. There are always lots of could haves and should haves and may haves involved. There are always different ways of looking at things. Was the guy homeless and/or needy? Maybe. Maybe not. We don't know for certain - we just know how Joe judged him to appear. Was it nice for Joe to slip him a muffin thinking it might help him? Yeah. Good karma. Was that muffin Joe's to give? No, it was Cracker Barrel's to decide to give it or not. Could Joe have asked? Yes. Would he have been allowed? Don't know. Did Joe have other options to assist this man without giving away a muffin that wasn't his to give away? Probably (including paying for a muffin or other food item, just giving the guy money, etc.). Did he take those options? No.

All in all, was Cracker Barrel right to fire Joe? As an isolated incident devoid of all context and prior history, I think his manager could have certainly seen the noble intent behind giving away the muffin and simply explained not to do that again (without permission anyway). Certainly it seems harsh to fire him for it alone. Real life doesn't begin and end in a tidy news article trying to draw page views, however. This incident doesn't exist in a void and, as even the article states, Joe has a history of breaking policy. Perhaps it was poor timing and bad PR sense to fire him over this specific incident, but I don't think it was "wrong" to terminate Joe's employment.

So if there is another human laying next to you dying, you wouldn't give him a biscuit because it is against the rules?
No, because I know that in this fantasy land you've created Elvis's ghost will magically appear and hand out peanut butter and banana sandwiches to all the homeless while serenading them with Are You Lonesome Tonight. If we're lucky, Jim Morrison will show up and sing backup vocals.

So if there is another human laying next to you dying, you wouldn't give him a biscuit because it is against the rules?


So, if one of your employees stole the entire contents of your business's safe, you wouldn't fire him because he used some of it to buy a homeless man a biscuit?

If Cracker Barrel gets enough bad press over this they will probably reverse their decision ala pulling all the Duck Dynasty products off their shelves.

Do you blindly accept these rules? Do you not question why the rules are in place?

When you choose to work there? Yes

You can certainly protest them if you like but need to be prepared for unemployment in case your defiance doesn't go over well

I still sense no empathy in this thread. A man on his last legs trying to find something to eat and a person with a nice warm biscuit in his hand about to throw it away. He looks at the homeless guy and then to the trashcan. He thinks to himself, "If I give this guy food he will live but I will be fired. However, if I throw away the food and the guy dies, I keep my job." What do you choose?

I love America but the United Snakes really really sucks.

There must be some similar job prospects in the Cracker Barrel area. They certainly are aware he's available. He's an old guy.

"Dude, that war was like 40 years ago"

I still sense no empathy in this thread. A man on his last legs trying to find something to eat and a person with a nice warm biscuit in his hand about to throw it away. He looks at the homeless guy and then to the trashcan. He thinks to himself, "If I give this guy food he will live but I will be fired. However, if I throw away the food and the guy dies, I keep my job." What do you choose?

Where did you read that nonsense at? You have to really make an effort to starve here in America. Not receive good medical care, sure , but there are opportunities all over the place to receive food.

Im not going to fault CB for firing a worker with a history insubordination. He got fired because he's stubborn.

The guy who may or may not be homeless said he needed condiments to go with some fish he was going to cook. So the guy threw in a biscuit along with condiments. So it doesn't sound like the guy was dying nor on his last legs. put down the violins.

It is not cracker barrels duty to help with homeless. There are shelters and churches everywhere that do just that. Also, you keep giving homeless people free stuff, they tell each other, then you got them hanging around your business. Like it or not, that would drive business away so I understand their side.

I agree with the fact that he broke a rule repeatedly, at his own risk. I'll even make it black-and-white and ignore the perceived value of what was in question, or the chance to pay for these (however informally) comped items.

But Cracker Barrel sure has a way of finding themselves in PR traps, don't they? They really blew a hot opportunity.

Where did you read that nonsense at? You have to really make an effort to starve here in America. Not receive good medical care, sure , but there are opportunities all over the place to receive food.

Im not going to fault CB for firing a worker with a history insubordination. He got fired because he's stubborn.

I wasn't giving you the details of this story. I was making an analogy of how I have been seeing a big lack of empathy around here as of late.

I wasn't giving you the details of this story. I was making an analogy of how I have been seeing a big lack of empathy around here as of late.

The analogy was pretty useless as it had nothing to do with the thread. There is a monumental difference between, homeless man literally dying in front of you from starvation and you have the ability to save him and the fact some dude asked for some packets of condiments and the employee broke a rule he's been repeatedly told not to and threw in a biscuit with the condiments.

You're looking for empathy in a situation that really didn't require any more than - "Hey, we understand where the guy is coming from, but his actions weren't necessary and he broke a rule after being warned many times not to." What's to be overly empathetic/dramatic about?

I am a man of drama! I love the theater my friend. Really though, looking at the context of the situation, a man getting fired for giving someone a biscuit seems ludicrous.

I am a man of drama! I love the theater my friend. Really though, looking at the context of the situation, a man getting fired for giving someone a biscuit seems ludicrous.
So does continuing forbidden behavior again and again and again and again and again (five violations), and then expecting the employer to do nothing.

Nothing prevented this veteran from buying food for this guy — or any needy person. But taking property that doesn't belong to you to give to another is stealing regardless, even if you think of him as Robin Hood. For many of the reasons mentioned previously, Cracker Barrel was fully justified in what they did and for the reasons they did. If you don't like it, hire this vet and then when he takes your property to give to a needy person, you can look the other way.

Lest you think of me as a hard-hearted person, I regularly give assistance to homeless persons I encounter as I work downtown and I've actually financially supported two homeless gentlemen in the last two years to help them get off the streets and back on their feet, paying for their rent and utilities for many months until they could get established. So, I'm certainly not uncharitable. However, I fully support and understand Cracker Barrell (or any employer) in situations like this.

I am a man of drama! I love the theater my friend. Really though, looking at the context of the situation, a man getting fired for giving someone a biscuit seems ludicrous.

I agree.. if that was the situation it seems extreme. however it wasn't a first time offense of breaking this rule. it was 5th.
if we want to be dramatic and say where is the empathy for this dying man begging for food ( which is not the case from the story) I will step into the drama with you.. I bet Joe was a real pain in the butt. and this was a last straw and they were glad to be rid of him.
if he wants to help the homeless.. reach into his own pocket not someone elses to assist. that is what I do, I don't give away my companys property.