Last week, the Internet got very, very upset about the plight of a former Cracker Barrel employee in Indiana, known only as “Brad’s wife.”
The saga started after Cracker Barrel (CBRL) allegedly fired the woman, whose real name is Nanette Byrd, without cause, after she’d worked at the Southern comfort food chain for 11 years. Byrd’s husband, Bradley Reid Byrd, then posted on Cracker Barrel’s Facebook page a simple query: “Why did you fire my wife?”
Not only did Brad’s message go viral, but the social media community took up the cause, posting thousands of outraged comments on the restaurant’s Facebook posts, and demanding on Twitter that the company answer his question. The Internet trolls’ protest even continued over at Instagram. More than a week later, Brad is still waiting for a response, and hashtags including #BradsWife, #JusticeForBradsWife, #BradsWifeMatters and #NotMyCountryStore continue to trend.
In the meantime, though, dozens of American companies have offered to come to Brad’s wife’s rescue, and give her what she ostensibly needs even more than Cracker Barrel’s excuse for letting her go: a job. Companies now hiring Brad’s wife include multiple locations of fast-food chain Chick-fil-A, a Dairy Queen in Illinois, Chili’s, sandwich chain Jimmy John’s, cosmetics company Rodan + Fields, Hooters, and Wendy’s, which has been fielding pleas from myriad strangers to hire Nanette.
Indeed, Twitter users are also publicly calling for companies such as supermarket chain Publix, Bob Evans Farms, Denny’s, Waffle House, IHOP, Applebee’s and Taco Bell to hire Brad’s wife. Employees have taken it upon themselves to welcome her; for example, Chick-fil-A stores from Texas to Tennessee have posted notices saying “now hiring Brad’s wife,” but a company spokesperson says “decisions like sign verbiage are not made at the corporate level.” A man running for Congress in South Carolina has even made a campaign promise to find a job for Brad’s wife if he is elected.
We’ve compiled a list below of Brad’s wife’s many new job options. First, though, for a taste of the firestorm, here is a small sampling of the 5,615 Facebook comments on Cracker Barrel’s post about a new menu addition featuring “sweet maple pepper bacon”:
And here is how others are expressing their concern for Brad’s wife:
https://twitter.com/LaDolceDeeDee/status/844659463772667905
Now, these are all the employers who have pledged their willingness to hire Brad’s wife even after Cracker Barrel fired her:
Tell her to apply. We've heard she has 11 years of dedicated work experience.
— Wendy’s (@Wendys) March 31, 2017
Someone let Nanette know. #justiceforbradswife #bosscow pic.twitter.com/8fEZQpW9f2
— Chick-fil-A Georgia Street (@cfageorgiast) March 24, 2017
If anyone talks to #BradsWife tell her we need her to work at #CougarTuesday tomorrow!
— DQ GlenCarbon (@DQGlenCarbon) March 27, 2017
We will hire you Brad's wife! Call Jimmy John's (812) 746-3314. #BradsWife #justiceforbradswife #STILLPISSED
— Dawn Boles (@DawnTheMarketer) March 24, 2017
11 years experience required. #JusticeForBradsWife pic.twitter.com/xgW7bed1Dm
— Hootie (@Hooters) March 24, 2017
#BradsWife can be a welcome addition to our team anytime! pic.twitter.com/IyiwUsIdMh
— Pizza Inn (@PizzaInnPB) March 25, 2017
Hey #BradsWife I'm hiring at @ChilisJobs!!! Come see me 😂🤣 pic.twitter.com/nSDBK4qx83
— Tasha (@CoachWolo) March 26, 2017
We will begin hiring bus drivers again on 4/2. Spread the word and someone tell #BradsWife that we have a spot for her over here. pic.twitter.com/t7PEfbGC0S
— Blacksburg Transit (@Ride_BT) March 28, 2017
Please tell Brad's wife we're always hiring great people. #merica 🇺🇸#BradsWifeMatters #JusticeForBradsWife#4StarEmployee #11YearsOfService
— Bootheel Tractor (@BootheelTractor) March 25, 2017
Come see our new hire this weekend and show some love! @now_bham @Foodandfoam @BhamBarScene #justiceforbradswife pic.twitter.com/5iEmakBs4J
— Mudtown Eat & Drink (@mudtownalabama) March 24, 2017
Waikiki Restaurant looking to hire #BradsWife! Will pick you up from airport. #JusticeForBradsWife
— Tiki's Grill & Bar (@tikisgrill) March 26, 2017
I'll hire Brad's wife! I run Dairy Queens in Shreveport #justiceforbradswife
— Robert Phillips (@Lopaka316) March 22, 2017
Another Cracker Barrel wants to hire Brad's wife. #justiceforbradswife pic.twitter.com/ES0n1VTedm
— 🌈 𝓑𝓪𝓬𝓸𝓷 𝓟𝓻𝓲𝓷𝓬𝓮𝓼𝓼 🏳️🌈♿️ 💎 (@bacon_ninjette) March 24, 2017
https://twitter.com/tigersdani/status/847490226348003328
Hey Brad's Wife! I'm hiring! 😜 #RodanAndFields #BradsWife #justiceforbradswife #BossBabe pic.twitter.com/KqFm142u7K
— Brittany Shealy (@blshealy) March 26, 2017
https://twitter.com/earthsremedies/status/845489740635951104
We will hire #BradsWife #BradsWifeMatters #justiceforbradswife #notmycountrystore
— Massanutten Vacation (@MassanuttenVaca) March 29, 2017
Someone tell Brad's wife the US Army is hiring with bonus opportunities as high as $40,000! #justiceforbradswife #bradswife #armyrecruiter
— SSG Butts (@CButtsArmySSG) March 25, 2017
#justiceforbradswife #BradsWifeMatters steeped Tea is hiring & would love to have you. pic.twitter.com/0GFVyiIQgn
— Mary Bacon (@MaryMBacon) March 25, 2017
I'm a manager at a retail store, I'll hire #BradsWife no questions asked. #notmycountrystore #BradsWifeMatters
— Cherish Thompson (@cherish_) March 24, 2017
If anyone knows #BradsWife, please let her know we are waiting for her to call us so we can schedule her interview.#justiceforbradswife
— Walk-On's Sports Bistreaux (@walk_ons) March 24, 2017
Now Hiring: #BradsWife
— Oasis Auto Sales (@oasisautosales) March 25, 2017
Brad – Don't worry about your wife, Etech is hiring!#iametech#bradswife#justiceforbradswife#comeworkwithme
— Etech Jobs (@EtechJobs) March 25, 2017
Hey #Nashville! We're hiring! (Especially if you're #BradsWife!) #justiceforbradswife pic.twitter.com/PriKVOZbbZ
— PuroClean Nashville (@PuroCleanTN) March 27, 2017
https://twitter.com/esstaffing/status/846025287070597122
Hey #Bradswife we are hiring! Move to Florida…we would love to have you!
Hiring:
1. Customer… https://t.co/xB3i5ic6BG— Okee Discount Drugs (@OkeeDiscDrugs) March 24, 2017
We're looking for a Business Analyst to join our team. #BradsWife welcome to apply: https://t.co/jThRu0JA8M #hiring
— Evolve IP (@EvolveIP) March 28, 2017
https://twitter.com/coastalcpu/status/846022295797805059
Hiring part-time at the sub shop. Hoping brad's wife applies. #justiceforbradswife
— Brookie Bada$$ (@brookieebadass) March 29, 2017
Brad Byrd did not respond to a request for comment from Fortune on whether Nanette has received any job offers directly yet, or whether she has accepted one, though we will update this story if they reply. Like Brad and his wife, Fortune is also still waiting for a response from Cracker Barrel.
