‘Got the last part of nostalgia’

Cracker Barrel Old country store restaurants have been around since 1969, strategically set up state -owned to attract drivers with their comfort, southern hospitality, food options and affordable menu prices.

But Cracker Barrel may be losing its charm in the middle of a physical makeover, according to some.

Rachel Love, a 38-year-old Tennessee resident and self-proclaimed fan Cracker Barrel, recently attracted the attention of the restaurant chain with her video on social media.

“When Cracker Barrel removed the last part of the nostalgia you had left,” Love was titled in a Tiktok video last month while she showed the interior of an updated location.

The post has accumulated thousands of comments from other cracked fans, many of whom do not accept the new look and prefer the original concept.

Love told Fox News Digital that she was in “Shock” when she for the first time saw the white walls and giant walls on the restaurant side near her parents’ house.

“I thought they were starting it to paint brown again,” she said.

The internal décor had also been changed.

“There is no antique on the wall,” Love said. “The only ancient they have been in the Fireplace’s mantle.”

‘Very transparent’

Main marketing officer Cracker Barrel Sarah Moore said all the things people love for the restaurant chain in Tennesses are not leaving.

“Over the past year, we have been very transparent about our transformation platform,” Moore Fox News Digital told. “One of our strategies is really focused on that physical experience of the guests.”

Cracker Barrel has tested “different levels of remodeling,” Moore told Fox News Digital.

“It’s about evolution with the intention,” she said. “We have been very transparent about our intention to make our stores feel brighter and even more welcoming than they are already, maintaining that hospitality and charm of the place we are known for.”

This includes brand signature rocker and PEG games.

“None of them are going,” Moore said. “We are just seeing ways to refresh the experience so we can open our door a little wider for more guests.”

Love said she was contacted by Cracker Barrel employees who want to remain anonymous who said the souvenir shop – a popular way for customers to spend time while waiting for a table – is part of reconstruction.

Moore said there is no reason to worry.

“The retail shop is such a differentiated for us. It is such an important part of our general experience. Things of that nature, things that really make us – that is not changing.”

However, the LOVE video created such a buzz that Cracker Barrel arrived with a peace offer that included a Knickknacks gift basket.

“Hello Rachel! Just a little something to say thank you to love Cracker as much as we are!

Moore said Cracker Barrel listens to her customers.

“What the guests asked are things like spaces that feel brighter, that feel less messy, more seats for booths, more seat opportunities, so our guests are more comfortable while they are eating with us,” she said.

‘Menu Evolution’

Love said she believes the quality of food has fallen in recent years. “I think they are trying to save on food costs,” she said.

Cracker Barrel added alcohol a few years ago – something love said was not necessary.

“If I’m out at a nice dinner, I’ll drink,” she said. “I’m not going to cracked barrels to drink.”

Guests can also expect more menu changes. “Similar to our remodeling strategy, the evolution of the menu has also been a clear pillar within our transformation framework,” Moore told Fox News Digital.

Cracker Barrel is “doubled in our morning, which is a force for us, but also by expanding our dinner offers.”

Fire food in the camp, in absentia since 2018, recently returned to the menu, along with new fire straps in camps, “a tremendous value,” Moore said.

“I don’t think we have a enough credit for the value we offer,” Moore said. “We offer so many ways to find value in your way when you come to Cracker Barrel. If you think about it, our average control is $ 14 compared to $ 27 for the casual eating industry. Delicious food has always been part of our value equation.”

Love hopes that the answers to her video will lead cracked barrels to reduce cosmetic changes and focus more on food.

“Prepare with love as I used to. Everything starts here,” she said. “Food should be better. Only adding new options will not change how people feel about it.”

However, Cracker Farrel suggested that she has an eye on the future while knowing her past.

“Everything we are doing is deeply rooted in what we are,” Moore said. “Judah is right, how to keep those things that have made us so loved for the last 55 years? How do we put them on the next 55 years?”