A reader contended that the Cracker Barrel redesign is because the brand’s previous image was Southern, rural, and old-fashioned, and the potential customer base for the restaurant is shifting away from those demographics. As much as this might make sense at first glance, it doesn’t line up with the data.

First, let’s note that the image or brand identity of a restaurant doesn’t necessarily have much to do with the reality surrounding it. The founders of Outback Steakhouse had never been to Australia; the décor and theme are largely borrowed from the Crocodile Dundee movies. The founder of the Jersey Mike’s sandwich chain is named Peter Cancro, although he did start by purchasing a standalone restaurant in New Jersey named “Mike’s.” Taco Bell has repeatedly tried to expand into Mexico, and failed.

Despite the perception of being a southern chain, Cracker Barrel has 31 restaurants in Ohio, 28 in Indiana, 25 in Pennsylvania, 21 in Illinois, 15 in Michigan,14 in Arizona, nine each in California, New York, and Maryland, and six in New Jersey. There are even three in Idaho. So even if the restaurant chain’s vibe and cuisine are southern, plenty of customers in non-southern states like going there and eating there.

Second, the south’s population is growing faster than most other parts of the country. In 2024, “all of the top five states for net population gain from migration within the U.S. were in the South, and seven of the top ten.” If the image of the American South is somehow repellent to consumers, why are so many people moving there?

Third, there’s a lot of talk that “rural America is dying,” and you can certainly find shrinking small towns in rural counties to support that argument. But Census Bureau data tracking changes from 2021 to 2022 found “Overall, large urban counties (using definitions from the University of Wisconsin’s Population Health Institute) saw a slight decline in population, while rural ones saw a slight increase.” That data indicated that states that are seeing a population increase overall – Florida, Texas, North Carolina, Georgia, Arizona – are seeing increases in their rural counties, as well.

Fourth, we’re an aging country;  from 2020 to 2023, the population age 65 and over increased in all but one of the nation’s 387 metro areas. We now have nearly 60 million Americans who are 65 or older. It’s understandable that companies would want to be popular with younger consumers, hoping that they’re establishing purchasing and dining habits and brand loyalty that will stick around for a long while. But that still leaves a lot of older Americans who are looking for a place to eat.

Now, I can’t help but wonder… is it really that consumers thought a brand image that is Southern, rural, and old-fashioned is outdated and overdue for an overhaul? Or is it that Cracker Barrel CEO Julie Felss Masino, who joined the company in 2023, looked at the company she ran and decided the chain’s image was outdated and overdue for an overhaul?

Again, the redesign isn’t “woke,” although it is understandable that those who have a conservative mindset and are wary of change would be less than enthused to walk into a Cracker Barrel and find it indistinguishable from a First Watch. It’s just bland and less distinguishable than it was before, and that does seem like a reflection of a bad trend in corporate America.