Cracker Barrel Old Country Store, Inc.

What does Cracker Barrel own?
Cracker Barrel Old Country Store, Inc. operates 660 company-owned restaurant and retail locations across 45 states under the Cracker Barrel brand. The company also owns Maple Street Biscuit Company, a breakfast and brunch chain acquired in 2020 for approximately $36 million. All Cracker Barrel locations are company-owned, with no franchised locations. Each location combines a restaurant serving Southern comfort food with a retail gift shop.

Is Cracker Barrel publicly traded?
Yes, Cracker Barrel Old Country Store, Inc. is publicly traded on NASDAQ under ticker CBRL. The company has been publicly traded since its IPO in 1981. Cracker Barrel has no controlling shareholder or parent company. Major institutional shareholders include Vanguard Group, BlackRock, and State Street. The company has a single class of common stock with equal voting rights per share.

Who founded Cracker Barrel?
Cracker Barrel was founded in 1969 by Dan Evins in Lebanon, Tennessee. Evins was working in his family's oil business at the time and recognized the opportunity to serve highway travelers with quality home-style food and unique gift shop merchandise. The first location opened near Interstate 40 in Lebanon, featuring a restaurant and retail gift store. The concept proved successful and expanded throughout the Southeastern United States during the 1970s.

Where is Cracker Barrel headquartered?
Cracker Barrel Old Country Store, Inc. is headquartered in Lebanon, Tennessee, USA, where the first location was established in 1969. The company has maintained its headquarters in Lebanon throughout its history, even as it expanded to 660 locations across 45 states. Corporate functions including finance, legal, human resources, and supply chain management are centralized at the headquarters.

How many locations does Cracker Barrel have?
Cracker Barrel operates 660 company-owned locations across 45 states. The company does not use a franchise model and maintains ownership of all restaurants. All locations are positioned near interstate highway exits to capture traveler traffic. The company also operates Maple Street Biscuit Company locations as a separate brand.

Who is the CEO of Cracker Barrel?
Julie Masino serves as CEO of Cracker Barrel Old Country Store, Inc., having joined the company in 2023. She succeeded Sandra Cochran, who had served as CEO since 2011. Masino is leading the company's strategic transformation plan, which includes menu innovation, restaurant remodels, and technology investments. The transition was part of the company's broader effort to modernize while maintaining its traditional brand identity.

What is Cracker Barrel's revenue?
For fiscal year 2025 (ended August 1, 2025), Cracker Barrel reported total revenue of $3.48 billion and adjusted net income of $70.9 million. Restaurant operations account for approximately 75 to 80% of total revenue, with retail sales representing approximately 20 to 25%. The company has faced margin pressure in recent years due to labor cost increases, food inflation, and competitive pressures in the casual dining segment.

Cracker Barrel was founded in 1969 by Dan Evins in Lebanon, Tennessee. Evins was working in his family's oil business at the time and recognized the opportunity to serve highway travelers with a combination of quality home-style food and unique gift shop merchandise. The first location opened near Interstate 40 in Lebanon, featuring a restaurant serving Southern comfort food and a retail gift store with country-themed merchandise.

The concept proved successful, leading to gradual expansion throughout the Southeastern United States during the 1970s. The company's strategy of locating restaurants near interstate highway exits provided consistent customer traffic from travelers, a strategy that continues to this day.

The company went public in 1981, trading on NASDAQ under the ticker CBRL. The IPO provided capital for accelerated expansion across the United States. Throughout the 1980s and 1990s, Cracker Barrel expanded steadily, reaching over 300 locations by the late 1990s.

In 1991 and 2002, Cracker Barrel faced discrimination lawsuits related to racial segregation in its restaurants. The 1991 case involved allegations that Black customers were seated separately from white customers. In 2002, the company faced a lawsuit from the US Justice Department alleging similar practices. Cracker Barrel settled these cases and implemented diversity training and policy changes. These incidents remain part of the company's history and are discussed in the Controversy section below.

By the 2000s, Cracker Barrel had expanded to over 600 locations across 45 states. The company maintained its focus on Southern country theme and comfort food while adapting to changing consumer preferences. In 2020, the company acquired Maple Street Biscuit Company, a Jacksonville-based breakfast and brunch chain, for approximately $36 million. Maple Street operates as a separate brand.

In 2024, Cracker Barrel launched a strategic transformation plan under CEO Julie Masino, who joined the company in 2023. The plan included menu simplification, restaurant remodels, new technology systems, and a repositioning of the brand to appeal to a broader demographic. For FY2025 (ended August 1, 2025), the company reported total revenue of $3.48 billion, demonstrating resilience in a challenging restaurant environment.

Cracker Barrel does not publish a formal standalone sustainability report. The company provides some ESG information on its investor relations website. As a restaurant and retail company, Cracker Barrel's primary environmental impacts come from food sourcing, energy use in restaurants, and waste generation.

The company has implemented energy efficiency improvements in restaurant operations, including LED lighting and energy-efficient kitchen equipment. Cracker Barrel has also implemented recycling programs for cardboard, plastics, and cooking oil at its locations. However, the company does not publish specific environmental metrics or science-based targets for emissions reduction.

Cracker Barrel is not a Certified B Corporation. The company does not have Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi) commitments or other third-party sustainability certifications. The company's sustainability reporting is self-disclosed and should be evaluated as first-party information.

On social responsibility, Cracker Barrel has a history of community involvement, including support for military veterans and local charities. The company has partnered with organizations including the USO and Operation Homefront. Following the discrimination lawsuits in the 1990s and 2000s, the company implemented diversity and inclusion training programs.

The company's employee compensation practices are typical for the casual dining industry. Cracker Barrel employs both full-time and part-time workers, with many employees in hourly restaurant positions. The company offers benefits including health insurance for eligible employees and a 401(k) retirement plan.

Cracker Barrel has faced several notable controversies throughout its history, particularly related to racial discrimination. In 1991, the company faced allegations that Black customers were being seated separately from white customers at some locations. In 2002, the US Justice Department investigated Cracker Barrel for similar allegations of racial discrimination. The company settled these cases and implemented diversity training, policy changes, and external audits of its practices. These incidents remain a significant part of the company's public history.

In 1999, Cracker Barrel faced controversy when it fired employees who were perceived as gay under a policy that prohibited employment of individuals whose sexual preferences failed to demonstrate normal heterosexual values. The company reversed this policy in 2002 following public backlash and pressure from LGBTQ+ advocacy groups. The reversal included an explicit prohibition on discrimination based on sexual orientation.

The company operates in the highly regulated restaurant industry and must comply with food safety regulations from the FDA, USDA, and state and local health departments. Cracker Barrel has experienced occasional food safety incidents, though none have risen to the level of major national recalls.

Labor practices in the restaurant industry face ongoing scrutiny, and Cracker Barrel is no exception. The company has faced lawsuits related to wage and hour practices, including overtime pay and tip pooling arrangements. These types of lawsuits are common in the restaurant industry.

The company's strategic transformation plan launched in 2024 has drawn mixed reactions. Some analysts and customers have praised the modernization efforts, while others have expressed concern that changes to the menu and decor could alienate the company's traditional customer base. The company must balance modernization with maintaining the brand identity that has made it successful.