Pride Cometh Before the Fall [Cracker Barrel]

[TBoneTX 47,806]

Pride Cometh Before the Fall  [Cracker Barrel]

 

A few years ago, on the way home from a road trip, my wife and I stopped at a Cracker Barrel along the highway.  The kids had never been to one, and we wanted to share with them one of our favorite childhood experiences.

 

Needless to say, we were disappointed.  It took forever to get our food.  And when it finally arrived, the food wasn't just bad.  It was downright awful.  The waiter, bless his heart, was a space cadet.

On the way out, our kids asked in genuine befuddlement why we talked the place up so much.  We didn't have an answer other than to say maybe this was just a bad one-off.  Happens to any restaurant from time to time.

Cracker Barrel wasn't making headline news back then, so I was unaware of what was going on behind the scenes.  But apparently, Cracker Barrel was working from the same woke playbook as Bud Light, Victoria's Secret, and Target.  [...]

 

https://pjmedia.com/caskeet/2025/08/23/pride-cometh-before-the-fall-n4942985

 

[Boiler 47,798]

Same crazy lady vibes as Bud, quite fascinating how do such stupid people get to such positions?

[yuna628 9,891]

So here's the thing, Cracker Barrel, while being a favorite of my in-laws many years ago, is no longer known for well... anything good, if it ever was. It was usually cheap food to grab after long car journeys, and you could find a million other mom n' pop places in the US that would eviscerate anything they ever served on a plate with love and good home cooking. As an example, dumplings and baos are all the rage here now and you can find a ton of corporate chains dominating the landscape - they pale in comparison to a small market stall in the UK run by a little Asian grandma that you could watch her make them, cook, and serve to you. She made her food with love and experience that a chain restaurant could never. Her food was the stuff of legends. 

 

The last time I went to Cracker Barrel, it was slow, dirty, and I ended up with food poisoning. It's become like many of our other chains that are pressing their luck. I remember Olive Garden back in the day vs now. What it boils down to is corporate America venture capitalists stripping restaurants for parts - and this is why so many restaurants and department stores we once loved have all fallen. Many have had 'cheap' and 'modern' redesigns in which they look like brutalist slabs, devoid of life. I can't think of anything about Cracker Barrel that made it really popular. It cannot be the food, because there are a million 'southern food' joints that are the epitome of excellence. If it was trying to be a 'greasy spoon' diner, others could do it better. The merchandise? Doubt it. It merely has always been corporate America's idea of what they thought country dinner is and now they want to market it to kids that have their faces plastered to their phones. The inside was ghastly to clean, much like another chain Bugaboo Creek, or Ruby Tuesday's which was also stripped for parts and canned here eventually. I won't be surprised if Cheesecake Factory, which used to be a favorite of mine back in the day is also gone sometime and I don't know how our local Friendly's hangs on. Why do you think ghost kitchens and Food Hubs (a weird sort of cafeteria with about 10 different "kitchens" in it that if you want Thai food on your plate but your friend wants Italian you can) are appearing now. Chili's is the only corporate chain restaurant in town that does a crazy amount of business, but it seems like people go there to use the bar - because the rest of the bars in town are filled with gangs.

 

So honestly, yes it is ridiculous that people are faux outraging about corporate America and an out-of-touch CEO's changes to yet another dying franchise because they somehow have an attachment to it. It is very snowflake-ish. Are businesses not allowed to make changes to what they own? If you don't like it, don't go. Are her changes out of touch and ugly? Yep. But it's been all done before by so many others it's not surprising anymore. Because honestly there's millions of other small restaurants that need your patronage to stay alive. On the plus side I've heard that Red Lobster managed to somewhat turn things around by making changes. Back in the day you'd go there for some 'fancy' occasion, which was weird because living in the state we do there's a ton of places that simply do it better.

 

Also cynical me has observed that Cracker Barrel has made attempts to reach 'influencers' to market their new image and 'food'. You ever think that sometimes the best marketing is what gets you talking about it? Never let a 'crisis' go to waste.

Edited August 24 by yuna628

[Crazy Cat 45,119]

Me: "Tell me you aren't from the south without telling me you aren't from the south."

CEO:  "OK, we'll make Cracker Barrel look like an IHOP inside.   We'll even use discarded Dennys signs on the outside."

Edited August 24 by Crazy Cat

[Boiler 47,798]

Must be 10 years or more when I went to one, none near me now.

 

I thought they were located beside major highways and the one I went to was clean and ok

 

But it is what it is, tweaking it to appeal to a very different audience is unlikely to appeal to them but will upset your current regulars.

[Dashinka 26,066]

Never actually been to one.  There are a few nearby, but definitely not a first or for that matter any choice of anyone I know.

[TBoneTX 47,806]

It's been many, many years since I've been to a CB.  I vaguely remember that it was overpriced.

[TBoneTX 47,806]

Partially caved -- they need some Executive Suite resignations and to rip out their culture of DEI by the roots.  And, by most accounts, to improve its food.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The People Have Spoken:  Cracker Barrel Caves

 

Cracker Barrel announced on Tuesday evening that it's giving up its rebranding plan—or, at least, doing away with its new generic logo and bringing back its "Old Timer."

In a statement posted on X, the restaurant chain said:  [...]

 

https://pjmedia.com/sarah-anderson/2025/08/26/the-people-have-spoken-cracker-barrel-caves-n4943061

[Ban Hammer 14,403]

9 hours ago, TBoneTX said:

Partially caved -- they need some Executive Suite resignations and to rip out their culture of DEI by the roots.  And, by most accounts, to improve its food.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The People Have Spoken:  Cracker Barrel Caves

 

Cracker Barrel announced on Tuesday evening that it's giving up its rebranding plan—or, at least, doing away with its new generic logo and bringing back its "Old Timer."

In a statement posted on X, the restaurant chain said:  [...]

 

https://pjmedia.com/sarah-anderson/2025/08/26/the-people-have-spoken-cracker-barrel-caves-n4943061

the idiot that dreamed up that change should be shown the door for wasting money, time, and public standing.
her name is sarah moore


"Her strategic experience in marketing, brand building, and guest engagement..."
https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/cracker-barrel-appoints-sarah-moore-as-new-chief-marketing-officer-302201075.html

Edited August 27 by Ban Hammer

[TBoneTX 47,806]

7 hours ago, Ban Hammer said:

and guest engagement

She forgot which guests to engage.

[Boiler 47,798]

She and her friends would not have been seen dead in such a place.

 

But they are not the customers 

[Nature Boy 2.0 8,443]

On 8/24/2025 at 2:18 AM, TBoneTX said:

Pride Cometh Before the Fall  [Cracker Barrel]

 

A few years ago, on the way home from a road trip, my wife and I stopped at a Cracker Barrel along the highway.  The kids had never been to one, and we wanted to share with them one of our favorite childhood experiences.

 

Needless to say, we were disappointed.  It took forever to get our food.  And when it finally arrived, the food wasn't just bad.  It was downright awful.  The waiter, bless his heart, was a space cadet.

On the way out, our kids asked in genuine befuddlement why we talked the place up so much.  We didn't have an answer other than to say maybe this was just a bad one-off.  Happens to any restaurant from time to time.

Cracker Barrel wasn't making headline news back then, so I was unaware of what was going on behind the scenes.  But apparently, Cracker Barrel was working from the same woke playbook as Bud Light, Victoria's Secret, and Target.  [...]

 

https://pjmedia.com/caskeet/2025/08/23/pride-cometh-before-the-fall-n4942985

 

What if they did it on purpose. I still think old coke new coke was a crafty ploy.

 

Btw. What's up with all the ads here.

 

It diminished my enjoyment.  Mods need to ban them.

[TBoneTX 47,806]

4 hours ago, Nature Boy 2.0 said:

What if they did it on purpose.

CB's executives are too woke and stupid.

4 hours ago, Nature Boy 2.0 said:

I still think old coke new coke was a crafty ploy.

I was convinced of this from the start.

I am also convinced of the need for Someone to reattain Rhododendron status.

Edited Saturday at 03:46 AM by TBoneTX