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Cracker Barrel badly needs to update their decor and design if they want to attract younger people. Every other chain periodically refreshes their design/decor periodically
Cracker Barrel needs to add guest internet if they want to attract travelers, which seems to be their goal since they place stores near interstates. But they still don't have internet service for their guests. Travelers often want to get online during their meal.
Cracker Barrel requires guests to stand in line to pay at the cashier, and they are stuck in line with gift store purchasers. No good in this day and age, especially for elderly and workers pressed for time during their lunch hour.
While it's rare that I eat at a CB, none of the above reasons are why. Most people's phones have unlimited data, so no wifi is not a big deal. The decor is specifically designed for their target demographic. Needless to say, young people is not that demographic and never will be. Standing in line to pay is much faster than waiting for a server to 1) bring your check, 2) come back and pick up the check and credit card, 3) bring back your credit card slip to sign.
The reason I rarely eat there are 1) too large of meals with too many needless calories, 2) overcooked vegetables, 3) lack of truly healthy or original options. If all I want is "comfort food", CB is where I'd go for that, but I rarely go out for that. My 4th reason, there are better restaurant choices closer to my home.
Last edited by TheShadow; 09-26-2023 at 10:29 AM..
Had no idea either restaurant was a big thing with senior citizens, but apparently that demographic made up a good share of customer base pre-pandemic. Post covid they just don't seem interested any longer.
I suspect this has more to do with cost of living increases with no or very little cost of living income increases than age or anything Cracker Barrel or Olive Garden have changed. And few people under the age of 30 know how to or want to cook for themselves.
I never cared for Olive Garden but I still love Cracker Barrel, just can't afford to go there once a week any more.
Unfortunately, the restaurants have been experiencing the same ridiculous inflation that the rest of us have. The cost of food and labor is hitting their bottom line, they have no choice but to pass that cost on to their customers. They either make a profit or they go out of business.
Those two are restaurants I consider bottom tier.
Their food isn’t that great, has never been that good and most people know this.
They seem to specialize in bland meals and with the current high cost of dining out these two and restaurants like these will suffer.
Personally, I think Italy should sue Olive Garden demanding they stop claiming to be Italian food.
I totally get your point, and I don't disagree. (I don't go there unless I'm forced to by others in the party. There's just better choices out there.)
But you should not limit yourself either. I was an Executive Chef at two different Mexican and Southwestern Restaurants. We did our research, kept up with the latest culinary trends, and put up 5-7 specials EVERY day. But I could still eat at Taco Bell and enjoy it too. (I smoked a lot of weed back in the day...)
My point: Just because it's not authentic does not AUTOMATICALLY make it bad. I'm not saying OG or TB are good, they are not, but the reason is not because they aren't authentic.
If I do go to OG, I just get the soup and salad. Probably the best thing on the menu, and also probably about 2500 calories and a week's worth of carbohydrates less than anything else. I just can't eat that heavy stuff anymore. (Same reason I NEVER go to CB, and don't even get me started on CCF [CheeseCake Factory])
The nearest Cracker Barrel is 45 minutes. I may have eaten at one at some point but I have no memory of it. New England isn’t a big market for southern.
I’ve eaten at Olive Garden a few times but I would never pick it myself. I can make better Italian than they serve. There are lots of mom & pop places here that are far higher quality.
Had no idea either restaurant was a big thing with senior citizens, but apparently that demographic made up a good share of customer base pre-pandemic. Post covid they just don't seem interested any longer.
Prices of everything, everywhere have gone up and they have budgets.
I went to Costco recently and the halloween candy I usually buy is 50% higher than last year.
Same exact product.
I live in a *poorer* area and a lot of the mom and pop shops now either just take cash or add a surcharge for cards.
It's like that around here as well. We have one hamburger restaurant that is cash only and continues to do decent business...even in the off season
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