Change is hard, but it's happening at this beloved restaurant chain
This Beloved Chain Is Making Over Its Restaurants—And Loyal Fans Aren’t Having It
Published on Jul. 02, 2025
If you grew up as part of a family that road-tripped, or you’re raising your own family of travel lovers, you know there are just certain stops along the way that feel nostalgic—like the restaurants you eat at. Chances are, these aren’t your typical haunts, and that’s what makes you feel so sentimental about them with every infrequent visit.
However, one such beloved restaurant you’ll tend to find just off the highway is making some major changes, and patrons aren’t loving it. The iconic road trip stop has always been steeped in Americana, making diners wistful for a bygone era. But now the restaurant chain is slowly and surely getting a glossier, more modern look, and it’s breaking some customers’ hearts.
Read on to find out which restaurant chain is getting a glow-up.
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What restaurant chain is getting a makeover?
@crackerbarrel New look, same Cracker Barrel! We can’t wait for you to visit. #crackerbarrel #remodel #newlook ♬ Energetic Summer Pop – Aleksei Guz
Cracker Barrel, best known for its Southern comfort food and wooden peg Solitaire table games, is rolling out makeovers at its locations across the country. This is coming as quite the shock to loyal fans, who feel like they’re at home when they stride up to a Cracker Barrel, with its rocking chair-lined porch and General Store filled to the brim with old-time merch, like penny candy and card games. But particularly for travelers—a group that makes up 40% of Cracker Barrel’s business—well, they’re pulling off the highway for a meal to discover a restaurant that looks largely unfamiliar now.
How are Cracker Barrels being made over?
Cracker Barrel restaurants are essentially getting a brightening treatment worthy of an HGTV show. The dark-wood paneled walls are being replaced with fresh white paint, and the spaces are becoming more open concept than the previous floor plans. Though the new look is getting more press now than ever before, this modernization has been underway for a while.
In August 2024, Cracker Barrel posted a TikTok video of a district manager named Brent offering up a tour of the chain’s recently renovated location in Mount Juliet, Tennessee. He showed off new lighting, tables and seating in the dining room, which brightened the space. Sound buffering was also added to the ceiling to make the dining room a bit quieter for customers. The lattice walls were removed to help create more openness.
How is the new look different than before?
From the August 2024 TikTok alone, it’s obvious that Cracker Barrel did a lot of “decluttering” to its walls. It isn’t just that the walls have changed from wood panel to crisp white, it’s that there is far less decor hanging on them. Previously, what appealed to many customers was the idea that the restaurant resembled a grandmother’s house, in a way, with ample mementos, knick-knacks and homey comforts.
What are fans saying about it?
On TikTok, fans are not thrilled. And they’re taking to the social media platform to share their disappointment, which is better than, say, complaining in person or engaging in bad habits at the restaurant.
“I see what they did to try and keep the appearance but I miss the oil lamps and old-fashion [mystique],” says one commenter on TikTok. “I used to feel like I was going back in time, now I feel like I’m eating at IHOP.”
Another disgruntled customer echoes that sentiment.
“A swing and a miss,” they wrote. “We eat here for a reason. I get what you tried. I don’t want bright and open. I want grandma’s house back.”
But not all the feedback is negative. On TikTok, @genxguy70 pointed out that the improvements to the store portion are helpful. “Open walkways,” he said. “You don’t have to be afraid of knocking something over.” Well, at least there’s that.
What does the Cracker Barrel staff say about it?
“The company was going downhill, all the changes are necessary,” said a Cracker Barrel employee on Reddit. “The processes and look of Cracker Barrel were dated, to say the least. Nothing big was changed for years. They are already seeing good results.”
On a separate Reddit thread, the sentiment was more somber. “We were scheduled to have the redesign some time this summer (July, I believe) but it was canceled,” wrote the Cracker Barrel employee. “I’m not sure what happened but my coworkers and I aren’t upset about it. We’d prefer they do some much needed upgrades in the kitchen before they tear apart the dining room.”
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