You’ll often find the chain right off freeway exits. For decades, that’s made them appealing to people making long drives searching for a hot, sit-down meal and a break from the road.
But that strategy hasn’t worked well over the last few years.
“We’re just not as relevant as we once were,” CEO Julie Masino told investors on a call in May.
Masino added that the chain is “refreshing and refining” several aspects of its operations, from marketing to the atmosphere in its restaurants.
So far, that’s included offering dinner specials in the late afternoon to appeal to diners who want to eat earlier.
Cracker Barrel is also testing four potential new layouts for its locations, Masino told CNBC on Thursday. Some of the remodels are more expensive than others, and Masino said that Cracker Barrel is figuring out “what level of investment is going to drive the right return” for shareholders.
Earlier this year, she said that the company was using bookcases instead of the chain’s traditional momento-covered dividers and adding booth seating.
But for now, most of its stores still have the old-timey decor and wooden seats that many people associate with the brand.
Masino also confirmed to CNBC that Cracker Barrel is testing about 20 menu items in “the largest menu test” the chain has ever done. Cracker Barrel told Business Insider about the test earlier this month.
To better understand what eating at Cracker Barrel is like these days, I visited one of the brand’s restaurants in northern Virginia last month, outside Washington, DC. Here’s what I found.
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