NEED TO KNOW
- Cracker Barrel fans are still upset with the chain’s remodeling efforts, one year after the renovations began
- Followers continue to comment on Cracker Barrel’s Instagram to critique the remodel’s “bland” look
- A Cracker Barrel spokesperson told PEOPLE that they are “very pleased” with the remodels, while “we recognize that there may be a vocal minority”
It has been a year since Cracker Barrel started renovating its formerly knick-knack-ridden restaurants, and fans are still angry.
The Southern-inspired part-restaurant, part-store chain announced a 3-year plan to “evolve” in May 2024. Yet, more than a year later, fans are still commenting their complaints on an Aug. 5, 2024, Instagram post about the restaurant’s “new look.”
The video has a Cracker Barrel district manager walking followers through the space’s changes, like new lighting, seating and paint color. As of this story’s publication, there are more than 2,000 comments on the video. Many of the comments are complaints about the new “bland” appearance, while others are compliments on the “modern” look. The mundane video continues to get (positive or negative) comments more than one year after posting.
The 56-year-old chain is inspired by old country stores and used to be decorated with brown-colored walls covered in antique farm tools and historical family portraits. According to a 2022 Cracker Barrel blog post, each store averaged between 950 and 1,000 authentic antiques per location.
The new appearance, which 40 locations have received as of May, according to The Wall Street Journal, has a fresh coat of white paint on the walls, modern light fixtures and antiques organized into shadow boxes.
A spokesperson at Cracker Barrel told PEOPLE on Monday, Aug. 11, “We are very pleased with the trajectory of our remodeled stores. Feedback from both guests and team members has been overwhelmingly positive and enthusiastic about the refreshed dining and shopping experience. All of the elements of our remodels were informed by direct input from our guests and team members alike – these changes are for them.”
The spokesperson continued, “As with any change, we recognize that there may be a vocal minority who feel differently. However, the strong performance of these locations affirms that we are moving in the right direction. We hope people who haven’t yet visited a remodeled store will visit us and experience the country hospitality proudly on display at every table and in every dish.”
Cracker Barrel employees offered their insights as to why they like the changes in a Reddit forum. In response to a poster claiming the new changes make the restaurants look like McDonald’s, one Redditor wrote that the remodel is going to help with cleanliness. When talking about the white walls, the person wrote, “They actually help us spot dirt and messes more easily. Try cleaning brown off of a brown wall!” Plus, the antique lanterns and globes would “need meticulous cleaning every night.” The poster wrote, “While they were part of the charm, they also trapped dust and grease.”
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