Cracker Barrel is serving up a new rule for employees hitting the road: When it comes to meals, the company wants them to stick to its own restaurants.
In an internal message obtained by the Wall Street Journal, the company said that “employees are expected to dine at a Cracker Barrel store for all or the majority of meals while traveling, whenever practical, based on location and schedule.”
The guidance also bars the company from reimbursing alcohol purchases on business trips unless workers pay out of pocket or get pre‑approval for special occasions from senior leadership.
The Independent has contacted Cracker Barrel for comment.
The travel meal policy comes as Cracker Barrel continues efforts to trim expenses amid sagging traffic and revenue growth that has slowed in recent years. Cracker Barrel is also still feeling the effects of its disastrous 2025 rebrand efforts, and now customers are turning their ire toward changes in its menu.
In December, regular diners complained about recent menu changes, including batch‑made cookies instead of freshly rolled dough and green beans and sides prepared in ovens rather than on the stovetop. Some customers have gone as far as bringing their own maple syrup to the restaurant because they disapprove of the new offerings.
The backlash against the chain began with a botched rebrand that caused Cracker Barrel to lose an estimated $94 million in market value in a single day after the chain unveiled a new logo and branding strategy in August. The company’s removed its longtime mascot, the man leaning on a barrel, known as Uncle Herschel, from its logo as part of a broader minimalist rebrand.
MAGA influencers and conservative commentators branded the redesign as “woke,” and even former President Donald Trump publicly urged the company to revert to its classic look.
Around the same time, Cracker Barrel also announced plans to modernize the interiors of its more than 650 locations, which critics claimed stripped away the chain’s nostalgic identity.
The company quickly acknowledged the backlash in a statement announcing it would scrap the revamps.
“If the last few days have shown us anything, it’s how deeply people care about Cracker Barrel. We’re truly grateful for your heartfelt voices,” the statement read. “You’ve also shown us that we could’ve done a better job sharing who we are and who we’ll always be.”
It went on assuring Cracker Barrel diners that “the things people love most about our stores aren’t going anywhere: rocking chairs on the porch, a warm fire in the hearth, peg games on the table, unique treasures in our gift shop, and vintage Americana with antiques pulled straight from our warehouse in Lebanon, Tennessee.”
Later, Cracker Barrel CEO Julie Felss Masino said the backlash made her feel “fired by America.”
