Cracker Barrel puts 'Duck Dynasty' items back on shelves

• Cracker Barrel says on Facebook it was responding to customer protests
• %27Duck Dynasty%27 patriarch Phil Robertson was suspended from the A%26E program earlier this week after comments related to homosexuality
• Company said it removed products it was concerned might offend guests

Cracker Barrel Old Country Store reversed course Sunday, putting back on its shelves the products it had removed because they were tied to a star of the cable hit Duck Dynasty.

In a statement on its Facebook page, Cracker Barrel said, "When we made the decision to remove and evaluate certain Duck Dynasty items, we offended many of our loyal customers. Our intent was to avoid offending, but that's just what we've done.

"You told us we made a mistake. And, you weren't shy about it. You wrote, you called and you took to social media to express your thoughts and feelings. You flat out told us we were wrong."

The Lebanon, Tenn.-based restaurant company initially removed certain products made by Duck Commander, the business run by the Robertson family of the A&E show, "which we were concerned might offend some of our guests."

The family's patriarch Phil Robertson was suspended from the A&E program last week after he was quoted in a GQ article calling homosexuality sinful behavior in the same category as bestiality and other sins. The article also quoted him as saying he never saw mistreatment of blacks during his pre-Civil Rights movement childhood.

Robertson's suspension has been blasted by many of the show's fans and supporters, who said the family should not be penalized for their religious beliefs.

Cracker Barrel's Facebook statement said, "We apologize for offending you. We respect all individuals right to express their beliefs. We certainly did not mean to have anyone think different."