Cracker Barrel Responds to Fans Who Are Not Pleased with the Chain's Remodeling Efforts

Yahoo ^ | August 11, 2025 | Sabrina Weiss

[dljordan]

California Barrel.

[bert]

Well, the fact is, it was broke. The customers who were are old or just dead.

Change is deemed necessary to attract a new generation of customers.

When on the road, I frequently eat at Cracker Barrel because it is always handy to my hotel. Most all the customers are gray heads or gray heads and middle agers.

[laplata]

I’ve never seen one or eaten at one. I like the old better than the new. I’m in southwestern Colorado. We have plenty of old style resteraunts that appeal to everyone.

It’s too bad that so many younger people today don’t appreciate the nostalgia the old presented.

I’m almost 75 and wouldn’t care to eat in the new, sterile and unappealing atmosphere.

[oldeguy]

“You have got to admit....FAR less dusting labor hours required in the remodeled restaurants.”

LOL, that would be true if they ever dusted. The one down here had crap hanging for years from the duct work overhead, and a sanitation rating of around 92/100. I generally won’t eat at one below 94 and thought this one was nasty, but on a trip to Wilmington we found one with a 91/100. On a ministry trip a couple of months ago we stopped in Flat Rock, NC for a night and visited the CB next to the motel for dinner. The biscuits were burnt, the main course was burnt, and the service was lousy.

Now we just eat at home.

[oldeguy]

It is better to eat at home if possible. In our area of North Carolina the restaurants are terrible.

[napscoordinator]

The first picture is too busy. The second picture is a cleaner look. Of course, I never noticed the look one way or the other.

[GranTorino]

Looks like Joanne Gains remodeled it.
That woman has caused men more grief....

[Albion Wilde]

My first thought as well. They “Bud Lighted” themselves. And same rationale — “evovling.”

[Albion Wilde]

A wall full of carefully-mounted cutting boards and sifters. Yawn.

Hey, it's “curated!” /barf

[1Old Pro]

“People” don’t like Cracker barrel because they perceive it is for conservative type people.

[DCPatriot]

The picture make is look too clean and sterile.

"My father used to say, If the front door of the restaurant is dirty...kitchen is dirty. Don't go in!" - Pres. Trump

[Albion Wilde]

The last time I was in one, years ago, they had a cool little store too. Hohner harmonicas, little guys but only three bucks. I bought a half dozen.

I agree -- the store was better than the food, by far. Lots of good values, although I haven't been since the pandemic. First time I went to one years ago, I got a couple of CD albums of the Gaithers singing southern gospel that I've played in the car on road trips ever since.

[Albion Wilde]

“Cracker” is an Americanized version of the Irish word "craicker”, which means a person who talks idly or chats, shoots the breeze, dishes gossip, etc. Georgia was a largely Irish colony. Scots-Irish settled NC and the mid Appalachian region of WVA, Kentucky, Tennessee.

Craic

In those southeastern regions, “cracker” historically had nothing whatsoever to do to with whips.

[Albion Wilde]

It is named for a barrel that held soda crackers in the old style general stores. Literally a "cracker barrel."

Hence, the cracker barrel pictured directly in the store's logo:

[Albion Wilde]

Pardon my typo == evolving

[Dr. Franklin]

Hence, the cracker barrel pictured directly in the store's logo:

Right, and the old white guy leaning on the barrel is obviously a cracker.

[packrat35]

Every time a chain does this, they die. They change what makes them unique to be more like everybody else with a more generic look.

It eliminates the very thing that made them special.

[PermaRag]

“My adopted home town is Bastrop, LA. Country hick town near the Ouchita River north of Monroe. 90% black. Mostly farmers and papermill workers. Trump votes at 60% or better.”

The city of Bastrop is actually quite heavily Democrat, with many precincts voting over 90% or even over 95% against Trump as any city which is majority black (78% in this case) would naturally do.

[packrat35]

COVID really did a number of them. They used to have good service but since COVID, they have trouble getting and keeping staff.

Wait times have increased. My wife always like to go there from time to time to shop before we ate.

[waterhill]

Where did you get that? The town went Trump in 24.