Customers Enraged As Cracker Barrel Makes Another Disastrous Move

Daily Caller ^ | January 02, 2026 | John Loftus Editor at Large

[Red Badger]

Cracker Barrel is barreling toward yet another PR disaster, this time angering customers throughout the South for ditching a tradition on New Year’s Day.

In early September 2025, Cracker Barrel fully retreated from its proposed plans to modernize and remodel its restaurants to a more minimalist, corporate look and replace its old trademark logo, featuring “old timer” Uncle Herschel, with a boring, stripped-down version. They didn’t have much choice, as customers were enraged and their stock price had plummeted

You’ve shared your voices in recent weeks not just on our logo, but also on our restaurants. We’re continuing to listen. Today, we’re suspending our remodels. If your restaurant hasn’t been remodeled, you don’t need to worry, it won’t be. With our recent announcement that our…

— Cracker Barrel (@CrackerBarrel) September 9, 2025

The company is now facing yet another brewing PR crisis. Over the years, Cracker Barrel has quietly stopped serving black-eyed peas on New Year’s Day, a Southern dish that, according to legend, brings good fortune in the new year.

Arrogant Yankees Don’t Get That This is ‘Bad Luck’ https://t.co/f1gqQjHpqp pic.twitter.com/eIhbwqaodx

— Grace Chong, MBI (@gc22gc) January 1, 2026

Cracker Barrel apparently hasn’t received the message yet. No black eyed peas on New Year’s Day in the South? As my grandmother once told me, never forget where you came from. pic.twitter.com/OMVzlqHpDY

— Jim Crooks (@JimCrooks7) January 2, 2026

One more example, albeit a small one, of white liberal women destroying America as we know it. In this case, Sarah Moore threw the long-standing tradition of serving black-eyed peas on New Year’s out the window. Cracker Barrel hasn’t changed their spots. https://t.co/vuDWnPV2m1

— Matt Bryant (@MattBryant7295) January 1, 2026

Seems to me like you idiots haven’t learned a damned thing. Glad I decided to keep my family out of your new look and new menu. Cracker Barrel used to be a good place to go. Not so much anymore.@CrackerBarrel https://t.co/oz4uNpfZ4b

— Andy Alford (@AndyAlford19) January 1, 2026

Now I find out Cracker Barrel no longer serves Black Eyed Peas on New Year’s Day. The woman at the head of this thing needs to be fired. She’s done nothing but causes problems since she took over by the way lady if you’re reading this your insights don’t work.

— John Stoll (@babybosn) January 1, 2026

As a proud Yankee, I was never familiar with the Southern tradition of eating collards and black-eyed peas on New Year’s until I married into a Southern family. Yesterday, however, was my second New Year’s of having a nibble of collards for wealth and prosperity, and black-eyed peas for good health. It’s a great tradition.

But, of course, the empty corporate suits who now run Cracker Barrel had to ruin it for the Southern customers. How many times can you shoot the same foot? We are learning that in Cracker Barrel’s case, there are no limits.

[Chickensoup]

Enraged?

Drama much?

[jacknhoo]

Black-eyed peas: Represent coins or pennies, bringing wealth and good fortune.

Greens (like collards): Symbolize paper money, promising financial prosperity.

Cornbread: Represents gold.

Pork (ham hock, bacon): Signifies forward motion and progress, as pigs root forward.

You can watch this video to see a recipe for lucky New Year’s black-eyed peas:
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=LYz9EkJd42k&t=326s&pp=2AHGApACAQ%3D%3D

[al baby]

I always though it was Colored Greens

[waterhill]

Lol.

They are awesomeness.

I fry em in bacon grease for a moment (Islamophobia)

[Getready]

Somebody with the smarts will start a new “cracker barrel”. Hopefully it will devalue the old cracker barrel so much, the investment loses money upon liquidation. Cause no one will buy it.

[waterhill]

No, they are really good for you. Vit. K, cool stuff. Wild hog gives out B12.

[Getready]

I love that stuff....would eat it almost every time...hard to beat ham hocks, cornbread , collard greens, black eyed peas with bacon ,and honey butter to top off the cornbread.

[Organic Panic]

“Cracker Barrel ends collard greens and black eyed peas. Experts say, “THAT’S RACIST.” -CNN

“Cracker Barrel serves collard greens and black eyed peas. Experts say “THAT’S RACIST.” - CNN

Didn’t Kamala wash her collard greens in her college room bath tub at Howard? She is so authentic.

[Organic Panic]

This is like Waffle House getting rid of waffles and the brawls. Those are what make WAffle House so charming.

[Alas Babylon!]

Here on Alabama it’s ham or hog jowls. Anything from,A pig, really. You could do chitlins but I don’t eat the stinky things.

[hellinahandcart]

You used to be able to get blackeyed peas there every hour of every day, not just New Year’s.

So, just gone from the menu? Or did they run out?

[Deaf Smith]

>>>Represent…Symbolizes…Represents…Signifies…

Sounds more new age rather than surviving a difficult time.

[Red Badger]

Too gauche and provincial....................

[jacknhoo]

Me too! I grew up in Chattanooga Tennessee with family that had settled a tiny little town called Sand Mountain, Alabama. I’ve lived many places since then and am so pleased to be permanently back in the south now.

[fortes fortuna juvat]

We stopped eating there over a year ago because (1) the food was substandard, and (2) the cutlery looked dirty. That was the restaurant in LaVale Maryland. Fortunately, just around the corner is a Bob Evans where we go now, and where we have no such complaints!

[StAnDeliver]

"It’s called “Private Equity” where people with money buy up restaurant brands and chains, then simplify and cheapen the menu to make more money from people who are loyal customers. They can ride the inertia for 3 or 4 years then liquidate the company in bankruptcy and come out ahead on the investment. It’s a crappy system but it works for the people who have the money when the restaurant chain runs out."

wtf? Cracker Barrel is a publicly-traded company.

Cracker Barrel [CBRL] IPO'd in 1981 and trades on the NASDAQ.

CBRL is an S&P 600 mainstay, mostly owned by American-based equity market companies. If you have a non-self-directed 401k, you own CBRL.

Masino is not alone in governance, the 10-member BoD, carefully diassembled over the past 5 years post-pandemic, has exactly 2 straight white dudes who are the only 2 who have ever eaten at a CB with their families).

The other 8 directors are a combination of women who hate white men, and 'look their picture up in the dictionary next-to-DEI' textbook DEI appointments.

[ken in texas]

- I lived in Georgia for four years, and hadn’t heard of this ... -

My late wife was from Alabama and she insisted on serving black eyed peas on New Year's Day.

[jacknhoo]

“Sounds more new age rather than surviving a difficult time.”

____________

Obviously you have no clue what you’re even talking about.

https://www.seriouseats.com/good-luck-food-new-year-pork-sauerkraut-lentil-herring-collards-hoppin-john

[OKSooner]

Good God.

Only a totally ignorant and arrogant MBA from... fill in the blank way up north somewhere, would pull something like this.

[Dr. Sivana]

The only rebellion that I commit as a born Phillyite is my tea is unsweet. Since unsweet tea and sweet tea look the same, no one notices.

From CT. When I was in Columbus, Georgia my co-workers noticed, and tried to correct me when we were out for lunch.

When I went to a fast casual lunch joint, the waitress brought me sweet tea, against my request. She apologized, and brought me out ANOTHER sweet tea. That day, we were both "out to lunch".