Cracker Barrel is still recovering from the public backlash the company received after attempting to rebrand its logo and restaurant decor, and it might be a long time until the chain finds its footing again. The restaurant is struggling financially thanks to a long-term decline in sales and short-term drop in stock value after the disastrous rebranding attempt. So why are fans not coming back to the chain? Here are five reasons customers just don’t think it’s worth returning to Cracker Barrel.
Decline In Food Quality
Cracker Barrel customers are convinced the quality of the food has dipped within the last few years. “Today is the first time I got up and left a restaurant due to poor quality food,” one diner said of a meal he and his wife had. “When the food came out we tried each other’s dishes and I was taken aback. I couldn’t believe how tough and lukewarm her chicken was. I also wasn’t impressed in the slightest with my food, bland, tacky, uninviting.” The customer then said the experience made them not want to try the restaurant again. “We left and will not be returning to another Cracker Barrel again. Absolutely insane that they were going to charge us nearly $40 for such atrociously bad food. You could get better food for cheaper at Arby’s.”
Cutting Corners
One Cracker Barrel employee said they’re unhappy with how the chain has moved away from making things from scratch, and encourages diners to make their opinions known. “The way we cook and prepare food now is so gross,” they said via Reddit. “I miss the way we used to cook food. Corporate is already starting to change things back the way they are (having more fresh biscuits instead of frozen ones). I’m excited to have all my guests talk to corporate because they are the only ones who can help us get the company to change.”
Smaller Portions
Cracker Barrel’s portions have shrunk and make it not worth the money, some customers say. “French toast used to be my favorite thing but they changed the bread and give you one less piece now. The syrup is only 50% maple now. You can’t drop quality AND make it prohibitively expensive. Pancakes and biscuits should not cost my family $100. We’re eating 90% flour,” one disappointed Redditor said.
Bad Service
The service at Cracker Barrel has gone downhill, to the point where diners will just get up and leave. “It was mid afternoon, and it wasn’t busy, only 3 tables in the section I was in. She [the waitress] went and took the order from one of the tables, 4 people, and went away and came back with food for the other table. She hasn’t asked what I wanted to drink or taken my order. She brings food for the table of 4. She still hasn’t acknowledged me after over a full 30 minutes,” one customer said, adding that they simply walked out.
Corporate Complacency
Many customers feel the brand doesn’t care about the decline in quality. “Millions of food complaints over the last couple years, mostly because of the portions and frozen biscuits. If only Cracker Barrel took those complaints and fixed the issues as quickly as they did over a logo, a rebrand that they spent hundreds of millions of dollars on for just a weekend, then they wouldn’t be losing money and the servers would actually stick around because they would actually make money!” one frustrated Redditor said.
Leave a Reply