Cracker Barrel Old Ctry Store Stock Price, News & Analysis

Cracker Barrel Old Country Store, Inc. (Nasdaq: CBRL) is a family dining and retail company in the accommodation and food services sector. The company is described as being rooted in a legacy of warmth, generosity, and tradition and is on a stated mission to bring the goodness of country hospitality to life. Founded in 1969, when the first store opened in Lebanon, Tennessee, Cracker Barrel has developed a concept that combines homestyle restaurant dining with an attached retail store.

According to company disclosures, Cracker Barrel operates approximately 660 company-owned Cracker Barrel Old Country Store locations across 43 U.S. states. Each location features a restaurant that serves what the company calls craveable homestyle food, alongside an Old Country Store retail area offering one-of-a-kind retail finds. Cracker Barrel also owns the fast-casual Maple Street Biscuit Company, expanding its presence within the broader restaurant and food service landscape.

Business model and concept

The Cracker Barrel concept centers on full-service restaurant operations paired with a retail store. The restaurants serve breakfast, lunch, and dinner and emphasize abundant portions of homestyle comfort food. The attached Old Country Store offers decorative and functional items, with a focus on gifts, toys, apparel, foods, and other unique retail merchandise. This combined restaurant and retail format allows the company to generate revenue from both dining and in-store retail purchases at the same physical locations.

Company descriptions highlight that Cracker Barrel aims to deliver country hospitality through its food, atmosphere, and retail offerings. Many of its menu and retail items are positioned as nostalgic or tradition-oriented, reflecting the brand’s emphasis on heritage and comfort. Seasonal offerings, such as winter and holiday menus and special promotions, are used to showcase returning favorites and new items while reinforcing this positioning.

Restaurant offerings and seasonal menus

Cracker Barrel’s restaurant menus feature homestyle dishes that the company describes as craveable and comforting. Historical menu items mentioned in company communications include Hamburger Steak, which appeared on the first Cracker Barrel menu when doors opened in 1969, and Eggs in The Basket, a nostalgic breakfast item. The company periodically brings back these dishes as seasonal features, positioning them as guest favorites with deep roots on its menu.

Recent winter offerings described by the company include Hamburger Steak served with classic sides such as Macaroni & Cheese, Hashbrown Casserole, Dumplins, and biscuits or corn muffins, with an option to add sautéed onions and brown gravy. Eggs in The Basket is presented as golden-grilled sourdough bread with an egg in the center, served with bacon or sausage and a side. The company has also highlighted items like the Breakfast Burger, Southern BBQ Ribs, Grandma’s Sampler, Steak & Eggs, and Broccoli Cheese Casserole in seasonal communications.

Cracker Barrel has introduced a Spicy Maple sauce that uses syrup featured in its stores blended with spices to create a sweet-heat flavor profile. This sauce is promoted as a flavor upgrade for items such as Crispy Tender Dippers and the Breakfast Burger. These examples illustrate how the company uses menu innovation alongside traditional dishes to appeal to guests while maintaining its emphasis on homestyle, comfort-oriented food.

Retail operations and Old Country Store

In addition to restaurant dining, each Cracker Barrel location includes an Old Country Store retail area. Company descriptions and earlier profiles note that these stores offer a variety of decorative and functional items, with a specialization in holiday gifts, toys, apparel, foods, and similar merchandise. Seasonal promotions may include travel games, trading cards, and other small toys, as well as military-themed merchandise and branded products.

The company uses its retail space to support promotional initiatives, such as offering a free toy up to a stated value with each dine-in kid’s meal during certain holiday periods, or providing discounts on selected product lines. This integration of dining and retail is a defining characteristic of the Cracker Barrel model and is presented by the company as part of its approach to creating a distinctive guest experience.

Geographic footprint and formats

Cracker Barrel states that it operates approximately 660 company-owned Cracker Barrel Old Country Store locations in 43 states. These locations are described as nearly 660 stores nationwide in some communications, reflecting the same general scale. The company’s restaurants and stores are positioned as destinations for families, travelers, and holiday guests, with references to serving customers "across the country" and being part of gatherings at both its own tables and customers’ homes.

Beyond its core Cracker Barrel locations, the company owns Maple Street Biscuit Company, which it describes as a fast-casual concept. While detailed operational information about Maple Street Biscuit Company is not provided in the supplied materials, its ownership reflects Cracker Barrel’s participation in both full-service and fast-casual restaurant formats.

Sector context and revenue mix

Cracker Barrel is classified in the food service contractors industry within the accommodation and food services sector. Company financial disclosures indicate that its total revenue is composed of both restaurant and retail components, with restaurant revenue representing the majority and retail revenue a smaller but meaningful portion. The company’s financial reporting separates restaurant and retail revenue to reflect the dual nature of its operations.

The business model depends on traffic to its combined restaurant and retail locations. Company and third-party commentary in the provided materials refer to guest traffic trends, operating costs, and the relationship between fixed costs and sales levels. These discussions underscore the importance of maintaining customer visits and managing operating expenses in a concept that combines dining and retail under one roof.

Brand positioning and heritage

Cracker Barrel repeatedly describes itself as being rooted in a rich legacy of warmth, generosity, and tradition. The brand associates itself with country hospitality, scratch-made meals, and a sense of connection around the table. Corporate statements refer to Cracker Barrel as "the front porch of America" and emphasize attributes such as family, hard work, and homestyle cooking.

The company highlights its long-standing traditions, including honoring veterans with complimentary meals on Veterans Day and supporting veteran-focused charities through the Cracker Barrel Old Country Store Foundation. These activities are presented as extensions of the company’s heritage and its focus on hospitality and community engagement.

Corporate governance and shareholder matters

Cracker Barrel is incorporated in Tennessee and its common stock trades on the Nasdaq Global Select Market under the symbol CBRL. The company holds annual meetings of shareholders at which directors are elected and various proposals are voted upon. An 8-K filing describes the 2025 annual meeting, where shareholders elected nine directors to the board and approved several management proposals, including an amendment to the company’s 2020 Omnibus Incentive Plan and advisory votes on executive compensation and certain bylaw provisions.

Shareholder and proxy advisory communications included in the provided materials discuss topics such as board composition, executive leadership, financial performance, and strategic plans. These materials reflect active engagement by shareholders and proxy firms regarding the company’s direction, governance practices, and long-term performance.

Financial reporting and outlook

The company issues periodic financial results and outlooks through press releases and SEC filings. For example, it reports quarterly revenue, net income or loss, and adjusted non-GAAP metrics such as adjusted EBITDA, along with commentary on restaurant and retail comparable sales. It also provides forward-looking guidance on total revenue, adjusted EBITDA, capital expenditures, and expected new store openings for future fiscal years.

Cracker Barrel’s disclosures include discussions of cost trends, such as commodity inflation and wage inflation, and describe cost savings initiatives, restructuring of corporate support functions, and changes in advertising spending. The company notes that it provides guidance focused on adjusted EBITDA to help investors evaluate performance before the impact of certain items, while also cautioning that forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties described in its SEC filings.

Community and charitable activities

Cracker Barrel Old Country Store Foundation, created by Cracker Barrel Old Country Store in 1993, is described as a nonprofit corporation that has awarded millions of dollars in grants to support numerous nonprofits and charitable programs. The foundation also supports an annual Employee Scholarship Program recognizing Cracker Barrel employees and their children who excel in their studies and serve their communities.

In connection with Veterans Day, the foundation launched a "30 Charities in 30 Days" initiative, pledging $150,000 to veteran-focused nonprofits through daily grants. These efforts are presented as part of the company’s broader commitment to honoring veterans and supporting organizations that serve veterans and their families.

Cracker Barrel as an investment

For investors researching CBRL stock, Cracker Barrel represents a publicly traded company in the full-service restaurant and retail space, with a long-established brand, a nationwide footprint of company-owned locations, and a dual restaurant–retail revenue model. Its SEC filings, earnings releases, and shareholder communications provide detail on its financial condition, strategic plans, governance, and risk factors. The company’s combination of homestyle restaurant dining, attached retail stores, and ownership of a fast-casual concept distinguishes its structure within the broader accommodation and food services sector.