Famous for its rustic, country theme and Southern comfort food, Cracker Barrel was once even Taylor Swift’s favorite place to live when she returned to her second home in Tennessee.
But the floundering chain’s new plans to change its name amid falling sales and customers means it will be the end of the restaurant as the pop star knows it.
The once-popular restaurant chain, with 662 locations across the country, has lost more than a sixth of its customers in just four years — a trend that is expected to continue if it retains its outdated brand.
In fact, the company’s shares plummeted earlier this month after CEO Julie Felss Masino admitted that the chain is “not as relevant as it used to be.”
Taylor Swift’s favorite restaurant in her second hometown of Hendersonville, Tennessee was once the humble Cracker Barrel, which she continued to visit after fame (pictured with a waitress in 2015)
The pop singer was a big fan of the Southern comfort food served at the rustic chain during her years in Tennessee. The restaurant is now undergoing a brand makeover
However, the CEO added that the company is now determined to turn things around and the restaurant will undergo a brand makeover, with the rustic theme being brightened up with brighter colors, a new logo and new menus .
This will also increase menu prices at many locations, she says.
Luckily for longtime Cracker Barrel fan Taylor Swift, who tends to frequent luxury and high-end restaurants these days, the price increase won’t be anything she can’t afford.
But the overhaul could mean her favorite menu items are in danger of extinction.
Born and raised in Pennsylvania, Swift became well acquainted with rural southern life after moving with her family to the Nashville suburb of Hendersonville, Tennessee, at the age of 14 to pursue her music career.
The local Cracker Barrel eventually became her favorite restaurant, so much so that she would later make a point of returning to get her “Southern fixings” even after making it big as a pop superstar.
In 2015, the restaurant’s wait staff described the singer’s care during her visits to Hendersonville, recalling how Swift was always friendly and left a large tip.
They also revealed that her favorite menu items were dumplings and apple butter cookies.
Born and raised in Pennsylvania, Swift moved with her family to Hendersonville, Tennessee at the age of 14 to pursue her music career
In 2015, the waitstaff who served the singer when she was in town revealed that Taylor was a big fan of the apple butter and cookies, as well as the dumplings.
Cracker Barrels are deliberately intended to reflect an old country store that sells traditional Southern fare and simple comfort food
The country restaurant is known for its rustic charm and reasonably priced traditional dishes
A waitress named Connie — who shared a selfie of her with Taylor eating at the restaurant nearly a decade ago — said at the time, “She really likes apple butter and cookies, I’ve been waiting for her and she always wants a ton of apple butter!” And dumplings, she is a big fan of the dumplings we make here.
‘She sits by the window or in the third room at the back. She usually comes with her family.
“Most members of the Grand Ol Opry don’t tip much, just five dollars.
“But there was a man who worked here and waited on her and who had gone to school with her – she gave him a hundred dollar tip!”
Set around a roaring open fire, the chain’s Midwestern restaurant features family-style tables and chairs and offers quintessential South American favorites like fried okra, chicken and catfish, as well as mashed potatoes and biscuits.
Most main course plates on the menu at the time cost between $9 and $15.
The staff at the Hendersonville Cracker Barrel was also impressed with how the generous pop star had given back to the community she grew up in as a teenager – donating $75,000 to her old school and putting the city on the map .
Another waitress, Tammy, said at the time, “She’s always very humble and always very nice to everyone.
‘She is always relaxed when she comes here, she feels like she can let her guard down. She comes here because no one makes a big fuss about it, that’s the reason.
“She is such a great figure for Hendersonville, she has given back to the community tenfold and we are proud that she is from here.”
Cracker Barrels are deliberately intended to reflect an old country store that sells traditional Southern fare and simple comfort food.
One waitress recalled how Swift was a big fan of the cookies and always asked for “a lot of apple butter.”
The restaurant sells Southern comfort favorites, but also has classics like chicken tenders for $12.99
The Cracker Barrel stores will now be renovated to freshen the outdated country design. Above is the classic, old-fashioned interior at one location in Tennessee
Masino, who joined Cracker Barrel in November after serving as president of Taco Bell, said the company will change the “store design and atmosphere.” Investments are being made in ‘aging’ stores.
The stock price plummeted as CEO Julie Felss Masino told investors: ‘We’re just not as relevant as we once were’
She hinted at a new look and menu.
“Historically, Cracker Barrel has made limited changes to the aesthetic of our design,” she said. “And we probably relied a little too much on what was perceived as the timeless nature of our concept.
‘We have started carrying out a trial renovation in two test stores. This included updating the interior and exterior of these stores by using a different color palette, updating the lighting, providing more comfortable seating and simplifying the furnishings and fixtures.”
She added: “In February, we launched a core menu refresh test with approximately 20 new items, several changed items, and more than 20 removals.
‘We are happy with the guest’s response. For example, eight of the new lunch and dinner entrees rank in the top 20 of the entree product mix at these stores.
“We’re also seeing a strong mix of new items in other categories, like our green chile cornbread and our banana pudding.”
The pilot stores have been a success so far and will be rolled out to all locations.
The company expects to complete 25 to 30 renovations in fiscal 2025.