Cracker Barrel’s New Look Dismays Some Loyalists

In May 2024, Cracker Barrel announced it was undertaking a strategic transformation plan that included “evolving the store and guest experience.” And in recent months, the first of the 55-year-old chain’s new-look restaurants have opened – to decidedly mixed reviews, according to reports from The Wall Street Journal, the New York Post and others.

First, a bit about the changes: basically, it’s been out with the gray perimeter walls and in with white ones, and out with wooden chairs and in with booths and banquettes, all with an eye toward still being homey, without coming off as stuffy. In addition, the restaurant has been tinkering with its menu, looking to add such items as savory chicken and rice, slow-braised pot roast and hashbrown casserole Shepherd’s Pie, this fall.

What’s driving all this? Reports the Post: “We’re just not as relevant as we once were,” CEO Julie Felss Masino, who took the helm of the 660-store chain company in late 2023, said on a recent investor call.

The Post’s headline on its June 30 story about the changes was “Cracker Barrel fans ‘heartbroken’ as chain scraps signature old-timey décor.” The headline on the WSJ article, which ran the same day, reflected the same general conclusion: “Cracker Barrel Fans Mourn the Loss of That Old-Timey Feeling.”

“It has always felt like being in someone’s home,” longtime diner Sharon Triana told the Journal. “But opening the walls, lighter colors and atmosphere, it feels like something colder.”

The business newspaper reports about 40 of the chain’s restaurants have been updated. And despite the dismay expressed by some of its customers, Cracker Barrel sounds like it plans to soldier on with the ongoing updates.

“We deeply appreciate the passion our guests have for our brand and are thankful for the thoughtful feedback they continue to share,” a spokesperson for the brand told the Post. “The updates underway in our stores are inspired by the voices of both our guests and team members, and reflect our ongoing commitment to making our stores feel brighter and even more inviting, all while preserving the warm, country hospitality and charm that define us.”