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[rkofan87]

i bet they got rid of peanut buckets as well.

 

[drganon]

I've been to a cracker barrel about a half dozen times on road trips. Never thought the food was particularly great, the last two times it was downright bad.

Overall, if this rebranding causes them to go under, I won't be all that upset.

 

[Kacho]

Awww shit, here we go

 

[DeafTourette]

Maybe he was born before 2004?

#288: 05-03-04 JUSTICE DEPARTMENT SETTLES RACE DISCRIMINATION LAWSUIT AGAINST CRACKER BARREL RESTAURANT CHAIN

This was exactly what I was talking about!

 

[Chuck Berry]

Graph is from August 17th to August 21st.

I wonder whyyyyy...

Oh god, you're back

 

[AJUMP23]

Awww shit, here we go

Finger on the pulse.

 

[Magic Carpet]

Last time I was at aCracker Barrel but I bought a ball cap with the old logo. They had a gift shop. That's gonna worth retirement money someday.

 

[Chuck Berry]

Awww shit, here we go

"They got rid of the barrel.....AND the cracker."

Got me good



Yup

 

[AJUMP23]

A house decided cannot stand.

 

[808mate]

I thought we were past this already.

DEI always loses in the end.

 

[Trogdor1123]

In Canada, Cracker Barrell is a cheese company. I'm guessing not in the states?

 

[Kvally]

So help me god, if they take the rocking chairs off the porch, this cracker will never go back.

 

[AJUMP23]

In Canada, Cracker Barrell is a cheese company. I'm guessing not in the states?

They sell cheese in the US.

 

[Trogdor1123]

They sell cheese in the US.

Is it the same name? My cheese purchasing history in the USA is limited

 

[AJUMP23]

Is it the same name? My cheese purchasing history in the USA is limited

Same name and company. They sell it in grocery stores

 

[Unknown?]

Cracker Barrel Old Country Store's CEO is Julie Masino, appointed in Nov 2023, has a tenure of 1.75 years. total yearly compensation is $6.68M, comprised of 14.5% salary and 85.5% bonuses. How has she performed even close to that amount of compensation even before this screw up? This is their Bud Light moment.
Now... Let me save them millions and millions in marketing consulting fees....

Cracker Barrel customers want good sized portions of comfort food for a fair price, and they want the decor and service to match their "traditional values".

If any of the Board members from Cracker Barrel are reading this, send me a note and I'll tell you where to send the check.

 

[Days like these...]

We need compromise. I'll run my idea by you guys again. Leave the new aesthetic for the wokes and install a yts only water fountain in the back for the...folks? Win/Win. Send me my check Crkr barrel

 

[Burning Blade]

Should have spent that rebranding money on making their food not taste like shit

 

[Trilobit]

Maybe he was born before 2004?

#288: 05-03-04 JUSTICE DEPARTMENT SETTLES RACE DISCRIMINATION LAWSUIT AGAINST CRACKER BARREL RESTAURANT CHAIN

Yikes, like seriously yikes. I'd understand not wanting to be seated next to a Swede, but this is just weird.

 

[AJUMP23]

Should have spent that rebranding money on making their food not taste like shit

That has been the issue quality has dropped since the pandemic

 

[Dirk Benedict]

I like how he was like :
"no disrespect and no respect at all"

 

[Kacho]

Should have spent that rebranding money on making their food not taste like shit

Common sense like this is why you don't make the big bucks

 

[jason10mm]

Rebranding is nothing new. If a company is losing business, a new logo and/or rebranding is about as easy as it can get, in terms of potential solutions.
It almost certainly won't work - but why not try?


If they really want to start making money, though, they need to fix their food, then heavily-advertise that they've done so.
The market has shifted, at this point. People want something genuinely-delicious, like they see on social media.
If they're spending restaurant-level money, they don't want something equal to fast food, which is what Cracker Barrel currently is.
Cracker Barrel's current menu is the plainest of plain food, meant for people who have never experienced any halfway-decent food (Much less good food.).


My wife's family and extended-family absolutely love Cracker Barrel. They use the nearest location as a meeting point for basically any get-together, pretty much regardless of where they are.
To be clear, they're Mormons.
Like... hardcore Mormons.
These people put a single teaspoon of salt into the entire bowl of mashed potatoes. These folks remove the skin and boil chicken thighs. These fools don't trust themselves to not set the house on fire when using a grill; so they don't own grills.
They think black pepper is, 'Just a bit too spicy.'


They love Cracker Barrel.


If you actually think Cracker Barrel is good food, I implore you to expand your horizons.

Cracker Barrel isn't about fancy exotic dishes though, or deconstructed hamburgers served on little plates spinning around on a wheel. It's COMFORT FOOD, the type of stuff your mamma or grandma used to make and you failed to learn to do yourself. The atmosphere is meant to evoke a homey, cozy space of yesteryear, which is why folks like DeafTourette might not feel so comfortable there when that 'yesteryear' wasn't quite so cozy.

I don't see how a new aesthetic will boost their audience if they serve the same food. And if they change their menu, then why go there at all versus all the other options? If it's not biscuits n' gravy, chicken fried steak, potpie, meatloaf, etc, then what would they serve? Try to compete with non-american ethnic food places? Source greek, chinese, and korean stuff from some frozen food kitchen that they just reheat? Put some sort of 'spin' on turkey with stuffing and gravy?

I think their demo is always gonna skew older because CB is a family/old folk place. It isn't a hip joint with music blasting. Families go there to AVOID gangs of punk ass kids.

 

[Kacho]

Cracker Barrel isn't about fancy exotic dishes though, or deconstructed hamburgers served on little plates spinning around on a wheel. It's COMFORT FOOD, the type of stuff your mamma or grandma used to make and you failed to learn to do yourself. The atmosphere is meant to evoke a homey, cozy space of yesteryear, which is why folks like DeafTourette might not feel so comfortable there when that 'yesteryear' wasn't quite so cozy.

I don't see how a new aesthetic will boost their audience if they serve the same food. And if they change their menu, then why go there at all versus all the other options? If it's not biscuits n' gravy, chicken fried steak, potpie, meatloaf, etc, then what would they serve? Try to compete with non-american ethnic food places? Source greek, chinese, and korean stuff from some frozen food kitchen that they just reheat? Put some sort of 'spin' on turkey with stuffing and gravy?

I think their demo is always gonna skew older because CB is a family/old folk place. It isn't a hip joint with music blasting. Families go there to AVOID gangs of punk ass kids.

Yep. Cracker ass Cracker Barrel is the alternative to Silver Diner when you want to take your family out for some basic food.

 

[diffusionx]

Cracker Barrel Old Country Store's CEO is Julie Masino, appointed in Nov 2023, has a tenure of 1.75 years. total yearly compensation is $6.68M, comprised of 14.5% salary and 85.5% bonuses. How has she performed even close to that amount of compensation even before this screw up? This is their Bud Light moment.
Now... Let me save them millions and millions in marketing consulting fees....

Cracker Barrel customers want good sized portions of comfort food for a fair price, and they want the decor and service to match their "traditional values".

If any of the Board members from Cracker Barrel are reading this, send me a note and I'll tell you where to send the check.

It's the same thing as Bud Light. Generic MBA girlboss comes in to a company and tries to apply the generic lessons she learned at prior companies to "expand" the product's with no undersrtanding of what the product or its market actually is. This one came from Taco Bell. I don't know what she did there but Taco Bell IIRC hasa actually been growing lately. It seems she applied many of the same principles of what Taco Bell was doing. The issue here is that CB and TB are not the same market or same customer and people don't go to CB wanting the same thing when they go to TB.

Don't put all the blame on the generic MBA girlbosses though. Bud Light and Cracker Barrel both hired these people for a reason, they want growth and think this is the way to do it. They don't want "just" Bud Light or Cracker Barrel customers. They want more and need someone from "the outside" to grow the market and think that the customers they currently have are just the default and will stay there.

 

[daffyduck]

Same name and company. They sell it in grocery stores

According to the Cracker Barrel Cheese website, it is owned by a company named Lactalis, and is not affiliated with the restaurant chain.

I thought it was owned by Kraft, but it also clarifies that is something different.

The Canadian version of the cheese also appears to be Lactalis.

 

[AJUMP23]

According to the Cracker Barrel Cheese website, it is owned by a company named Lactalis, and is not affiliated with the restaurant chain.

I thought it was owned by Kraft, but it also clarifies that is something different.

The Canadian version of the cheese also appears to be Lactalis.

Cool. I swear it has the logo on it. But I don't use it. I use Sargento.

 

[Grildon Tundy]

Came here to post this, and the boss beat me to it.

That tweet warmed my heart.

 

[StreetsofBeige]

Cracker Barrel isn't about fancy exotic dishes though, or deconstructed hamburgers served on little plates spinning around on a wheel. It's COMFORT FOOD, the type of stuff your mamma or grandma used to make and you failed to learn to do yourself. The atmosphere is meant to evoke a homey, cozy space of yesteryear, which is why folks like DeafTourette might not feel so comfortable there when that 'yesteryear' wasn't quite so cozy.

I don't see how a new aesthetic will boost their audience if they serve the same food. And if they change their menu, then why go there at all versus all the other options? If it's not biscuits n' gravy, chicken fried steak, potpie, meatloaf, etc, then what would they serve? Try to compete with non-american ethnic food places? Source greek, chinese, and korean stuff from some frozen food kitchen that they just reheat? Put some sort of 'spin' on turkey with stuffing and gravy?

I think their demo is always gonna skew older because CB is a family/old folk place. It isn't a hip joint with music blasting. Families go there to AVOID gangs of punk ass kids.

Just skimming their menu and learning about CB past few days, I think their biggest problem right off the bat regarding dwindling profits is their prices are too low. The company actually has record sales lately, but their costs are too high. Skimming one of the location's menus, almost every entree is under $15. Avg price maybe around $12. And some things go for $10. The only dishes that cost $20+ are steak, BBQ ribs and seafood. That sounds dirt cheap. It's like prices from 10 years ago for any other chain selling breakfast and pub food.

Cozy food fits their image. What they are trying to do is still do cozy food, but in a renovated sterile look resembling a new age pub probably hoping young people eat there. Weird direction, but I doubt it'll be successful. But who knows. It's only a small number of stores affected, so long term effect will be after more stores get overhauled.

 

[Kacho]

It's the same thing as Bud Light. Generic MBA girlboss comes in to a company and tries to apply the generic lessons she learned at prior companies to "expand" the product's with no undersrtanding of what the product or its market actually is. This one came from Taco Bell. I don't know what she did there but Taco Bell IIRC hasa actually been growing lately. It seems she applied many of the same principles of what Taco Bell was doing. The issue here is that CB and TB are not the same market or same customer and people don't go to CB wanting the same thing when they go to TB.

Don't put all the blame on the generic MBA girlbosses though. Bud Light and Cracker Barrel both hired these people for a reason, they want growth and think this is the way to do it. They don't want "just" Bud Light or Cracker Barrel customers. They want more and need someone from "the outside" to grow the market and think that the customers they currently have are just the default and will stay there.

Red Lobster recently hired Damola Adamolekun to save their business and it appears to be going well because he knows what their consumers want.

 

[Cyberpunkd]

It's the same thing as Bud Light. Generic MBA girlboss comes in to a company and tries to apply the generic lessons she learned at prior companies to "expand" the product's with no undersrtanding of what the product or its market actually is. This one came from Taco Bell. I don't know what she did there but Taco Bell IIRC hasa actually been growing lately. It seems she applied many of the same principles of what Taco Bell was doing. The issue here is that CB and TB are not the same market or same customer and people don't go to CB wanting the same thing when they go to TB.

Don't put all the blame on the generic MBA girlbosses though. Bud Light and Cracker Barrel both hired these people for a reason, they want growth and think this is the way to do it. They don't want "just" Bud Light or Cracker Barrel customers. They want more and need someone from "the outside" to grow the market and think that the customers they currently have are just the default and will stay there.

This is a pretty fucking accurate and sensible take on the situation. One thing to point out: they take their existing customers for granted. Blows my mind why you would do that.

 

[daffyduck]

Common sense like this is why you don't make the big bucks

To be fair, even good restaurants think they can keep jacking prices without consequence.

 

[StreetsofBeige]

It's the same thing as Bud Light. Generic MBA girlboss comes in to a company and tries to apply the generic lessons she learned at prior companies to "expand" the product's with no undersrtanding of what the product or its market actually is. This one came from Taco Bell. I don't know what she did there but Taco Bell IIRC hasa actually been growing lately. It seems she applied many of the same principles of what Taco Bell was doing. The issue here is that CB and TB are not the same market or same customer and people don't go to CB wanting the same thing when they go to TB.

Don't put all the blame on the generic MBA girlbosses though. Bud Light and Cracker Barrel both hired these people for a reason, they want growth and think this is the way to do it. They don't want "just" Bud Light or Cracker Barrel customers. They want more and need someone from "the outside" to grow the market and think that the customers they currently have are just the default and will stay there.

She also had long tenures at Starbucks and Godiva chocolates. Shes got a lot of experience in marketing and brand roles, so not surprisingly her big push to change a company is going to be: 1. Expensive to do. 2. A dog and pony show kind of initiative. Splashy marketing kind of stuff.

They arent the kind of people who will try fixing a company based on cost efficiencies, operations, or improving the quality of the product. It's about marketing and advertising.

 

[diffusionx]

Just skimming their menu and learning about CB past few days, I think their biggest problem right off the bat regarding dwindling profits is their prices are too low. The company actually has record sales lately, but their costs are too high. Skimming one of the location's menus, almost every entree is under $15. Avg price maybe around $12. And some things go for $10. The only dishes that cost $20+ are steak, BBQ ribs and seafood. That sounds dirt cheap. It's like prices from 10 years ago for any other chain selling breakfast and pub food.

Cozy food fits their image. What they are trying to do is still do cozy food, but in a renovated sterile look resembling a new age pub probably hoping young people eat there. Weird direction, but I doubt it'll be successful. But who knows. It's only a small number of stores affected, so long term effect will be after more stores get overhauled.

I've been reading articles about Chili's which is doing really well lately. One reason is cost control.

We all know that fast food prices have gotten insane. McD's and Chipotle are getting damn near $20 for a meal. If you add Door Dash it's close to $30. You can do that or go to Chili's which is a sit down experience for like $25 and maybe get a beer and relax. I think keeping the price low is a good idea. people don't have money to spend, Bidenflation was ~25% over two years and while it has gotten under control it never got fully under control and has been running hot and it seems like the feds have just thrown in the towel (Trump's ridiculous statements about Powell to try to force him to cut rates isn't helping).

But yea peoople liked going to CB in part because it was comfortable. To change it to the cold, clinical, gray, nu-company interior design just eliminates a huge part of the appeal.

 

[StreetsofBeige]

I've been reading articles about Chili's which is doing really well lately. One reason is cost control.

We all know that fast food prices have gotten insane. McD's and Chipotle are getting damn near $20 for a meal. If you add Door Dash it's close to $30. You can do that or go to Chili's which is a sit down experience for like $25 and maybe get a beer and relax. I think keeping the price low is a good idea. people don't have money to spend, Bidenflation was ~25% over two years and while it has gotten under control it never got fully under control and has been running hot and it seems like the feds have just thrown in the towel (Trump's ridiculous statements about Powell to try to force him to cut rates isn't helping).

But yea peoople liked going to CB in part because it was comfortable. To change it to the cold, clinical, gray, nu-company interior design just eliminates a huge part of the appeal.

I think it's got to a point in life, people are comfortable paying more. They might not like it, but it's life. If you pay more, you just buy less of other stuff and live with it. And people all seem to be eating out though I've read people are cooking more at home. I guess so, but then why are people paying an arm and leg for uber eats? So the money is there IMO.

 

[12Goblins]

Maybe people looking for problems and offense find it every where. Those that don't have a good time.

Lord, this is rich in a thread where people are crying about a lame corporate logo change and turning some shitty restaurant into an airport lounge as being called "woke"

 

[StreetsofBeige]

But yea peoople liked going to CB in part because it was comfortable. To change it to the cold, clinical, gray, nu-company interior design just eliminates a huge part of the appeal.

Well have to wait and see how sales are affected after customers get acquainted with the new look. It's 5% of stores so far, so most people wont see it yet.

Maybe it'll be a smash hit. McDonalds all seem to have changed the past 20 years from old look to renovated cleaner look. McD's is doing great, so looks like nobody (and their kids) cared McD's are all fresher and sleeker looking than the more fun and bubbly days.

 

[Kacho]

Well have to wait and see how sales are affected after customers get acquainted with the new look. It's 5% of stores so far, so most people wont see it yet.

Maybe it'll be a smash hit. McDonalds all seem to have changed the past 20 years from old look to renovated cleaner look. McD's is doing great, so looks like nobody (and their kids) cared McD's are all fresher and sleeker looking than the more fun and bubbly days.

Just speaking from my experience, but my family and I never dine in at McDonald's. We always do the drive thru. The only fast food place we dine in at is Chick-fil-A because they have indoor playgrounds.

 

[Chuck Berry]

Yep. Cracker ass Cracker Barrel is the alternative to Silver Diner when you want to take your family out for some basic food.

As a non family man, it's also the spot you take the fam to while on an interstate road trip. You see that sign on one coming up, you know you're stopping by.

 

[Kacho]

As a non family man, it's also the spot you take the fam to while on an interstate road trip. You see that sign on one coming up, you know you're stopping by.

Something about that place man. Always get a cup of coffee and a BLT.

 

[f~N_CH_1:3:3:3_SushiBoat]

Is it the same name? My cheese purchasing history in the USA is limited

This made me laugh harder than it should have. Im such a dork.

 

[p_xavier]

Man it is awful, they kept the general store sections lol.

 

[Chuck Berry]

Something about that place man. Always get a cup of coffee and a BLT.

Biscuits with the sausage gravy man. Probably removed from the menu because it was deemed "too southern" aka racist.

edit: I've got one real close to me here in FL. Def gonna drive by in a month or two to see what the crowd is like. Usually its packed since it's right off I-95.

 

[Kacho]

Biscuits with the sausage gravy man. Probably removed from the menu because it was deemed "too southern" aka racist.

edit: I've got one real close to me here in FL. Def gonna drive by in a month or two to see what the crowd is like. Usually its packed since it's right off I-95.

Fuck yeah, dude. Sausage gravy and biscuits is my go to at Cracker Barrel.

 

[Kvally]

Anything I had in the past at Cracker Barrel I loved.

 

[Punished Miku]

This was exactly what I was talking about!

The fact that the conservative influencer bubble is losing their shit at the most totally inoffensive logo change tells you that the place was coded conservative, and seeing a lawsuit like that isn't surprising at all. Hate to use the term, but everything about that place is a dog whistle and unfortunately a lot of people gravitating towards a certain mindset probably love that place. Texas Roadhouse isn't like that. Everything about it is coded Jim Crow re-enactment center, and it's absolutely hilarious that there is literally a lawsuit proving it with evidence.

 

[diffusionx]

The fact that the conservative influencer bubble is losing their shit at the most totally inoffensive logo change tells you that the place was coded conservative, and seeing a lawsuit like that isn't surprising at all. Hate to use the term, but everything about that place is a dog whistle and unfortunately a lot of people gravitating towards a certain mindset probably love that place. Texas Roadhouse isn't like that. Everything about it is coded Jim Crow re-enactment center, and it's absolutely hilarious that there is literally a lawsuit proving it with evidence.

time for your meds

 

[Unknown?]

time for your meds

He's just trolling.

 

[Punished Miku]

time for your meds

He's just trolling.

I don't use X, but maybe go ask Mecha-Hitler about it. The response to anything you don't like is just BS, obfuscate, stall, change the subject. At least Mecha-Hitler says it how it is more often than not, which is often hilarious for self-owns.

 

[Nydius]

In Canada, Cracker Barrell is a cheese company. I'm guessing not in the states?

It is here too, but Cracker Barrel Cheese is a completely different (and much older) company than Cracker Barrel Old Country Store. I'm surmising that up there in Canada only the cheese company exists.

I don't use X, but maybe go ask Mecha-Hitler about it. The response to anything you don't like is just BS, obfuscate, stall, change the subject. At least Mecha-Hitler says it how it is more often than not, which is often hilarious for self-owns.

I'm with diffusionx - you're way overdue for your meds. "Mecha-Hitler", "Dogwhistle", "Coded language"… You sound like a sad and politically warped conspiracy theorist.