https://www.facebook.com/100064906143437/posts/pfbid0cX53Sj15h7tSiJQT3U4KoMeAop9jWWLpin1ep4mZAp6iyLK6ouyZAMXjjE5YYogel/?
Soon a new look and menu for this iconic roadside business.
https://www.wkrn.com/news/local-news/exclusive-mt-juliet-cracker-barrel-gets-new-look-and-menu/ For those not on FB.
The Facebook comments echo why I stopped going, the food just sucks now. A new menu is pointless if they cook that like ass like the old stuff.
I think the last time I was at a Cracker Barrel was in Idaho in 2016, and the one location in Sacramento opened shortly after I moved to Texas. I have not been in a Cracker Barrel in Texas though. The food is kinda rich.
We occasionally get breakfast at a Cracker Barrel in Broward County because it's next door to the hotel where we stay and the breakfast food is decent. I have no interest in getting lunch or dinner there.
Their Country Fried Steak Dinner ain't bad. Love their breakfast though. Always a line at the one in Hunters Creek where I used to live.
I think a lot of these casual dining places that came into prominence in the 90s (Cracker Barrell, Applebees, Olive Garden, Outback) are all running into the same problem. They need to keep prices low to bring people in the door, and they are cutting on food quality.
I've been to two Cracker Barrels in my life, so I probably can't relate to the sentiment of those who are upset about this.
Quote from: epzik8 on June 03, 2024, 08:40:24 PMI've been to two Cracker Barrels in my life, so I probably can't relate to the sentiment of those who are upset about this.
I've been to a few. The recent TikTok about how many chains are just various flavors of Applebee's is more true than fiction.
I've been to Cracker Barrel quite a few times, mostly on road trips when I was a child, but also every now and again since then. They're almost always, as many of us know, located near an Interstate exit, so it's a convenient place to go while on the road.
I have to admit that I liked the folksy and kitschy charm of the place appealing, and for that reason, I will probably dislike the changes although, at this point, I'm not sure what the changes are actually going will be. The links, as well as what I've been able to find online, are sparse on the details.
I've been happy with the several Cracker Barrels I've been to in my travels, but I guess since I probably haven't been to one in 7 or 8 years I was not happy enough to make an effort to go back. The real problem with them for me is that when traveling, I am generally looking for something faster. And if I have time for a longer meal I'm probably going to try to track down something local.
How different is Cracker Barrel from Bob Evans?
I've been to both, but only a couple times to Bob Evans. Once in 2008 in Indiana for Breakfast and another to meet a friend in Fort Myers for lunch. From what I recall Bob Evans menu seemed the same as Cracker Barrel.
I'm sure a new logo is coming. I was OK with their basic layout, which was restaurant inside and knick-knack emporium outside. If Southern charm is your jam, they got it. But if their food quality goes the way of Applebee's, I'm straight out.
We've eaten at Cracker Barrel several times on road trips. It provided a different experience to us because there aren't any around our home. It was a place where you generally knew what you were getting into before you stepped into the door. Unlike some hotel chains where quality varied greatly from one location to another.
They need to learn from JCPenney from years ago. They went "modern" and changed their product offerings. They managed to lose their loyal customer base and not pick up the new demographic they were seeking.
Quote from: roadman65 on June 04, 2024, 12:43:53 AMHow different is Cracker Barrel from Bob Evans?
I've been to both, but only a couple times to Bob Evans. Once in 2008 in Indiana for Breakfast and another to meet a friend in Fort Myers for lunch. From what I recall Bob Evans menu seemed the same as Cracker Barrel.
I'll eat at a Bob Evans long before a Cracker Barrell.
I wouldn't have even known Bob Evans existed outside grocery stores if it wasn't for this forum.
I've eaten at exactly two Cracker Barrels: one (Tewksbury MA) regularly, the other (Londonderry NH) probably three times.
Contact them here and let them know: https://guestrelations.crackerbarrel.com/s/article/Contact-Us
I told them their food sucked. It's a shame because it used to be good. To me they suffer the same issue Rainforest Cafe does. Cool atmosphere. Awesome gift shop. But shitty food. This could fixed. Just takes someone giving a shit. Of course I left out the profanity but I explained to them I used to love their restaurants and though I never expected a Michelin star
Quality experience their food used to be decent and that was good enough. They need a new executive chef. I'm not sure how that works.
Cracker Barrel is toward the top of the list of places I'll stop at on the road. I can be in and out in 35-40 minutes, the food is usually tolerable and relatively cheap, and Southern food isn't the easiest to find in MSP. As mentioned they are geared toward an older demographic that is rapidly shrinking and not replacing that customer base, struggling to balance value with quality, and just that I think chains have become memes/punchlines as people would rather spend their money at better local places.
Bob Evans is kind of like a more modern version of Cracker Barrel with better market diversification. I agree that the target demographic of both chains is shrinking, but Bob Evans has the frozen grocery products to fall back on if their restaurants aren't doing well.
I've only been to Cracker Barrel once, about 10 years ago, and while the food was very good, I recall the inside of the restaurant feeling rather cluttered and the service was slow.
I've only been to 4 locations, and I eat there almost every time I take a trip to Waynesboro. A minor "secret" of mine is that the only thing I did in Fayetteville, NC on 5/18/23 was eat at the Cracker Barrel off NC-53/210.
Their biscuts are pretty good, so is their Meatloaf. Once I tried a Pancake Taco Meal and that was good for my taste-buds, but not for my heart. I also bought a North Carolina shirt from the store in Fayetteville.
What I don't understand is why Cracker Barrel added alcohol to their menu. They built their brand and reputation on a family atmosphere with good home/country cooking. I fail to see what selling beer and cocktails adds to their appeal. Did they really think they would attract a new demographic by adding booze?
After a long period of not eating at any Cracker Barrel, I've eaten at three of them in the past six months. Other than the portions being smaller, the prices being higher, and some tweaks to the menu, not much had changed from when I regularly ate my evening meal at Cracker Barrel while on a road trip.
They just need to hire Brad's wife back.
Quote from: hbelkins on June 04, 2024, 04:41:43 PMWhat I don't understand is why Cracker Barrel added alcohol to their menu. They built their brand and reputation on a family atmosphere with good home/country cooking. I fail to see what selling beer and cocktails adds to their appeal. Did they really think they would attract a new demographic by adding booze?
Some families have alcohol as part of their atmosphere.
I'm guessing they added it because market research showed that there were customers that were ruling them out as an option because the customer wanted an alcoholic beverage as part of a dining-out experience. (My mom is one of those; she doesn't drink at home very often but when we eat out she likes to have a beer as a special treat.) Given that you can get alcohol at places like Red Lobster and Applebees, and nobody thinks of them as places to go wild and crazy partying, they probably didn't have any good reason to
not have alcohol.
Maybe it's the Wisconsinite in me, but serving alcohol and a family environment are certainly not mutually exclusive.
Quote from: SEWIGuy on June 04, 2024, 09:13:13 PMMaybe it's the Wisconsinite in me, but serving alcohol and a family environment are certainly not mutually exclusive.
Yep, the stories I heard when I lived in Superior of kids just loving it when Mommy and Daddy got drunk at whatever picnic were so heartwarming.
Quote from: Rothman on June 04, 2024, 09:48:30 PMQuote from: SEWIGuy on June 04, 2024, 09:13:13 PMMaybe it's the Wisconsinite in me, but serving alcohol and a family environment are certainly not mutually exclusive.
Yep, the stories I heard when I lived in Superior of kids just loving it when Mommy and Daddy got drunk at whatever picnic were so heartwarming.
And now seeing grown ups get drunk in my past, I'm seeing what a mistake that was. True I never got hooked on drinking as I knew better, but many don't see it's wrong and copy grownups then and especially now.
The old university campus cliché, you can easily tell which of your classmates were raised under strict Prohibition . . .
Also, BTW, the 18th Amendment was repealed over 90 years ago. I honestly believe that we can FINALLY get over it now.
:no:
Mike
Quote from: mgk920 on June 05, 2024, 11:25:19 AMThe old university campus cliché, you can easily tell which of your classmates were raised under strict Prohibition . . .
Also, BTW, the 18th Amendment was repealed over 90 years ago. I honestly believe that we can FINALLY get over it now.
:no:
Mike
We were talking about the darker side to family-friendly environments where alcohol is served.
See also planes where flight attendants don't cut people off early enough...
Quote from: Rothman on June 05, 2024, 12:06:06 PMQuote from: mgk920 on June 05, 2024, 11:25:19 AMThe old university campus cliché, you can easily tell which of your classmates were raised under strict Prohibition . . .
Also, BTW, the 18th Amendment was repealed over 90 years ago. I honestly believe that we can FINALLY get over it now.
:no:
Mike
We were talking about the darker side to family-friendly environments where alcohol is served.
Right. And the resulting conclusion that somehow alcohol cannot be consumed unless it is abused.
Quote from: SEWIGuy on June 05, 2024, 12:20:17 PMQuote from: Rothman on June 05, 2024, 12:06:06 PMQuote from: mgk920 on June 05, 2024, 11:25:19 AMThe old university campus cliché, you can easily tell which of your classmates were raised under strict Prohibition . . .
Also, BTW, the 18th Amendment was repealed over 90 years ago. I honestly believe that we can FINALLY get over it now.
:no:
Mike
We were talking about the darker side to family-friendly environments where alcohol is served.
Right. And the resulting conclusion that somehow alcohol cannot be consumed unless it is abused.
Right, which is just as ridiculous as asserting that alcohol will never be abused in a family-friendly environment when alcohol is served.
Quote from: Rothman on June 05, 2024, 12:43:45 PMQuote from: SEWIGuy on June 05, 2024, 12:20:17 PMQuote from: Rothman on June 05, 2024, 12:06:06 PMQuote from: mgk920 on June 05, 2024, 11:25:19 AMThe old university campus cliché, you can easily tell which of your classmates were raised under strict Prohibition . . .
Also, BTW, the 18th Amendment was repealed over 90 years ago. I honestly believe that we can FINALLY get over it now.
:no:
Mike
We were talking about the darker side to family-friendly environments where alcohol is served.
Right. And the resulting conclusion that somehow alcohol cannot be consumed unless it is abused.
Right, which is just as ridiculous as asserting that alcohol will never be abused in a family-friendly environment when alcohol is served.
From my experience, the number of people who drink alcohol in "family-friendly environments" and get hammered is an incredibly small percentage of those who drink alcohol in such environments. In fact, I barely remember it ever being an issue.
And if somebody did get hammered at an Olive Garden and my kids were around, I would probably say "That guy's drunk. Eat your breadstick."
Disney sells alcohol.
Maybe there's someone that says "we're not taking the kids to Disney because they serve alcohol", but that's probably one of a long list of reasons why they don't want to go.
Quote from: SEWIGuy on June 05, 2024, 12:58:32 PMQuote from: Rothman on June 05, 2024, 12:43:45 PMQuote from: SEWIGuy on June 05, 2024, 12:20:17 PMQuote from: Rothman on June 05, 2024, 12:06:06 PMQuote from: mgk920 on June 05, 2024, 11:25:19 AMThe old university campus cliché, you can easily tell which of your classmates were raised under strict Prohibition . . .
Also, BTW, the 18th Amendment was repealed over 90 years ago. I honestly believe that we can FINALLY get over it now.
:no:
Mike
We were talking about the darker side to family-friendly environments where alcohol is served.
Right. And the resulting conclusion that somehow alcohol cannot be consumed unless it is abused.
Right, which is just as ridiculous as asserting that alcohol will never be abused in a family-friendly environment when alcohol is served.
From my experience, the number of people who drink alcohol in "family-friendly environments" and get hammered is an incredibly small percentage of those who drink alcohol in such environments. In fact, I barely remember it ever being an issue.
And if somebody did get hammered at an Olive Garden and my kids were around, I would probably say "That guy's drunk. Eat your breadstick."
Eh, as a teetotaler, the number of times I've been with a group of friends and all of them -- except one -- drink responsibly has been many. Just happened again a few weeks ago with just three of us: Teetotaler, responsible drinker, drunk out of his gourd...
Quote from: Rothman on June 05, 2024, 03:08:35 PMQuote from: SEWIGuy on June 05, 2024, 12:58:32 PMQuote from: Rothman on June 05, 2024, 12:43:45 PMQuote from: SEWIGuy on June 05, 2024, 12:20:17 PMQuote from: Rothman on June 05, 2024, 12:06:06 PMQuote from: mgk920 on June 05, 2024, 11:25:19 AMThe old university campus cliché, you can easily tell which of your classmates were raised under strict Prohibition . . .
Also, BTW, the 18th Amendment was repealed over 90 years ago. I honestly believe that we can FINALLY get over it now.
:no:
Mike
We were talking about the darker side to family-friendly environments where alcohol is served.
Right. And the resulting conclusion that somehow alcohol cannot be consumed unless it is abused.
Right, which is just as ridiculous as asserting that alcohol will never be abused in a family-friendly environment when alcohol is served.
From my experience, the number of people who drink alcohol in "family-friendly environments" and get hammered is an incredibly small percentage of those who drink alcohol in such environments. In fact, I barely remember it ever being an issue.
And if somebody did get hammered at an Olive Garden and my kids were around, I would probably say "That guy's drunk. Eat your breadstick."
Eh, as a teetotaler, the number of times I've been with a group of friends and all of them -- except one -- drink responsibly has been many. Just happened again a few weeks ago with just three of us: Teetotaler, responsible drinker, drunk out of his gourd...
Were you drinking at an Applebees?
Quote from: Rothman on June 05, 2024, 12:43:45 PMQuote from: SEWIGuy on June 05, 2024, 12:20:17 PMQuote from: Rothman on June 05, 2024, 12:06:06 PMQuote from: mgk920 on June 05, 2024, 11:25:19 AMThe old university campus cliché, you can easily tell which of your classmates were raised under strict Prohibition . . .
Also, BTW, the 18th Amendment was repealed over 90 years ago. I honestly believe that we can FINALLY get over it now.
:no:
Mike
We were talking about the darker side to family-friendly environments where alcohol is served.
Right. And the resulting conclusion that somehow alcohol cannot be consumed unless it is abused.
Right, which is just as ridiculous as asserting that alcohol will never be abused in a family-friendly environment when alcohol is served.
Going full circle it's just as ridiculous as assuming one can't drink alcohol without abusing it. So what are you arguing about again? You think alcohol shouldn't be served at "family friendly" events and gatherings?
Quote from: SEWIGuy on June 05, 2024, 03:15:12 PMQuote from: Rothman on June 05, 2024, 03:08:35 PMQuote from: SEWIGuy on June 05, 2024, 12:58:32 PMQuote from: Rothman on June 05, 2024, 12:43:45 PMQuote from: SEWIGuy on June 05, 2024, 12:20:17 PMQuote from: Rothman on June 05, 2024, 12:06:06 PMQuote from: mgk920 on June 05, 2024, 11:25:19 AMThe old university campus cliché, you can easily tell which of your classmates were raised under strict Prohibition . . .
Also, BTW, the 18th Amendment was repealed over 90 years ago. I honestly believe that we can FINALLY get over it now.
:no:
Mike
We were talking about the darker side to family-friendly environments where alcohol is served.
Right. And the resulting conclusion that somehow alcohol cannot be consumed unless it is abused.
Right, which is just as ridiculous as asserting that alcohol will never be abused in a family-friendly environment when alcohol is served.
From my experience, the number of people who drink alcohol in "family-friendly environments" and get hammered is an incredibly small percentage of those who drink alcohol in such environments. In fact, I barely remember it ever being an issue.
And if somebody did get hammered at an Olive Garden and my kids were around, I would probably say "That guy's drunk. Eat your breadstick."
Eh, as a teetotaler, the number of times I've been with a group of friends and all of them -- except one -- drink responsibly has been many. Just happened again a few weeks ago with just three of us: Teetotaler, responsible drinker, drunk out of his gourd...
Were you drinking at an Applebees?
Well, given his opinion of Olive Garden, we can be sure it didn't happen there. :bigass:
For whatever it's worth...
I'm a lifelong teetotaler, and have no good story behind it besides "I don't like the taste" and "I'm afraid of the consequences" since I have an addictive personality.
For me nowadays, it is a draw between the outlandish COST and the dislike of the 'toxic effect' of having one too many and not being able to do what I wanted to do next. :-|
BTW, it has been the law in Wisconsin ever since 1933 (repeal of Prohibition) for a parent or legal adult guardian to serve their own minor children in any otherwise legal setting (such as a backyard picnic), unless whoever controls the setting sets a stricter rule. Attempts have been made over the years to repeal that law, but every time the response has been a cross between "Is there a problem here?" and the university campus cliché.
Mike
Although I loved my time in Superior, the dark side of living up there was the horrifying general apathy/acceptance that a certain number of kids would die in DUI accidents per year in Northern WI/the Arrowhead.
Quote from: roadman65 on June 03, 2024, 11:21:14 AMhttps://www.facebook.com/100064906143437/posts/pfbid0cX53Sj15h7tSiJQT3U4KoMeAop9jWWLpin1ep4mZAp6iyLK6ouyZAMXjjE5YYogel/?
Soon a new look and menu for this iconic roadside business.
https://www.wkrn.com/news/local-news/exclusive-mt-juliet-cracker-barrel-gets-new-look-and-menu/ For those not on FB.
No more hash brown casserole? :no:
Now Perkins is following suit: https://www.cnn.com/2024/06/25/food/perkins-new-name-remodel/index.html
Quote from: Big John on June 25, 2024, 10:08:54 PMNow Perkins is following suit: https://www.cnn.com/2024/06/25/food/perkins-new-name-remodel/index.html
Looks like a Panera.
Quote from: SEWIGuy on June 26, 2024, 08:58:41 AMQuote from: Big John on June 25, 2024, 10:08:54 PMNow Perkins is following suit: https://www.cnn.com/2024/06/25/food/perkins-new-name-remodel/index.html
Looks like a Panera.
Also kind of reminds me of 1980s era Bennigan's
Quote from: Life in Paradise on June 26, 2024, 11:54:00 AMQuote from: SEWIGuy on June 26, 2024, 08:58:41 AMQuote from: Big John on June 25, 2024, 10:08:54 PMNow Perkins is following suit: https://www.cnn.com/2024/06/25/food/perkins-new-name-remodel/index.html
Looks like a Panera.
Also kind of reminds me of 1980s era Bennigan's
"Perkins American Food Co."? Sounds like a foodservice distribution warehouse, not a place where one can expect a freshly-cooked meal.
I hate to break it to them, but it's still just going to be a Perkins. And the people who avoided it before will likely continue to avoid it. I haven't been to one in a long time, and I certainly won't now go because they refreshed their decor.
Does Perkins have memorable decor or food? The last time I went to one in college two decades ago, it was about as bland as any chain. A menu refresh with a new take on fresh foods could help revive the ailing brand.
Interestingly, a particular person has such a harsh take on someone enjoying a beverage with their meal at Cracker Barrel. I never thought that alcohol was a good fit for the restaurant, but alcohol sales can generate up to 30% of a restaurant's revenue (source (https://www.mashed.com/1049053/why-customers-are-complaining-that-alcohol-is-ruining-cracker-barrel/)). There are huge markups. But the push for mimosas at breakfast or Bud Light for dinner was relentless - between the three separate spots advertised at the meal, and while waiting, it felt out of place at a relentlessly conservative place. I'm not sure it's driven their declining sales, but the brand has stagnated.
Perkins was treated like a revered adopted mom and pop chain in MSP for a long time, although that perception has waned in more recent years as they've receded like many stagnant national chains though it still has a heavy presence in the metro.
Perkins had the bakery going for them until it didn't. Cracker Barrel has the "general store" going for them, but that's now not a huge draw independent of the restaurant operations.
I didn't realize that Perkins was owned by... *checks notes*, a private equity investment firm. It declined substantially under their watch. It's now part of Ascent Hospitality Management, another private equity investment firm that also owns Huddle House.
I could go for a tremendous twelve right now...
Sorry I'm just now seeing all this, most of you already know this but for those who don't, as of August 15 I am no longer associated with cracker barrel, I hit 30 years earlier this month and it was time to move on, also my wife and I are moving back to South central Pennsylvania by this fall
Quote from: Big John on June 25, 2024, 10:08:54 PMNow Perkins is following suit: https://www.cnn.com/2024/06/25/food/perkins-new-name-remodel/index.html
So they're changing their name from Perkins to Perkins. No one is going to read the entire name.
As far as changing their looks...nearly all restaurants do that on occasion. There's very few that haven't done it in the past 20 years. And it's not that unusual. National hotel brands do it more often.