That's why I believed she should reinvent the roadside family restaurant for the weary drivers on the interstate highways.
The problem was that she tried to take her Taco Bell background to turn Cracker Barrel into a date-night destination instead of revive the Howard Johnson's model.
Cracker Barrels are already positioned along the major exits on America's highways. The traveling public is a dying consumer segment that was taken over by fast-food, and Cracker Barrel has an opportunity to retake a market that they already dominate and is practically uncontested. The majority of Cracker Barrel's 660 restaurants are by freeway access and their giant road signs can be seen for several miles away, suggesting that they are already targeting the traveling family.
For the family who are passing through an unfamiliar area, having a familiar restaurant where they can stretch their legs and enjoy a sit-down meal, instead of getting a quick hamburger and fries and get back on the road, is what Masino should focus on.
If Masino tries to turn Cracker Barrel into a quasi-fusion date-night venue to compete with Chilis or Texas Roadhouse, she will drive away an already built-in customer base and fail anyway, because those people will have better choices for a fusion experience.
Instead, if Masino focused on rebuilding the legacy that Howard Johnson's left behind, the local family diner will still be there PLUS she can regain the motoring public looking for a familiar brand in an unfamiliar place.
It's low-hanging fruit of Masino wanted to go for it, but she came from Taco Bell and took her playbook of what worked there and tried to force it on Cracker Barrel like a round peg in a square hole.
-PJ
I don’t disagree and will not argue that you are wrong.
However, she is but the most recent CEO to come on board to reverse the Cracker Barrel decline. In spite of a truly great past, the model is no longer working. The chain is declining, perhaps even failing.
What was is demonstrated to be inadequate for the present. Perhaps and probably, a new CEO will be tasked with creating a resurrection plan
I am a Cracker Barrel fan and am keenly aware of the discontinuity of excellence over time and location. I travel and eat there often