- - Cracker Barrel clarifies viral employee dining rule policy

Melina Khan, USA TODAY February 4, 2026 at 4:23 AM

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Do Cracker Barrel employees have to eat at Cracker Barrel restaurants while traveling? Not exactly.

After a Jan. 30 report in The Wall Street Journal said Cracker Barrel is pushing its staff to only eat at its locations when traveling, the chain said the policy is not a requirement.

"The policy for employees to dine at Cracker Barrel while traveling for business, whenever practical based on location and schedule, is not new. Also, it is not the only place that our employees may eat when on the road, as previously reported," Cracker Barrel said in a statement to USA TODAY.

The company added that it recently changed employee travel guidelines to "further limit reimbursement of alcoholic beverages under the policy."

This development comes after several tumultuous months marked by declining sales for the company. In August 2025, Cracker Barrel faced backlash from many customers after announcing a rebrand that included a change to its so-called Old Timer logo. Days later, the company reversed course and said it wouldn't change the logo after all.

Timeline: Cracker Barrel changed its logo. Then changed its mind.

Cracker Barrel's sales declined after logo controversy

Cracker Barrel's sales declined late last year amid the fallout from its logo controversy.

For the financial quarter between Aug. 1 and Oct. 31, 2025, Cracker Barrel said its revenue was down 5.7% compared to the same quarter the year prior.

Comparable store sales on both the restaurant and retail sides of the business fell compared to the same quarter in the previous year; comparable store restaurant sales decreased 4.7%, and comparable store retail sales decreased 8.5%.

During its quarterly financial results call with investors on Dec. 9, Cracker Barrel CEO Julie Felss Masino acknowledged the chain had a "difficult" prior few months.

"While many of our guests are enjoying our improved food and guest experience, we certainly have more work to do to regain the trust and confidence of other who have been slower to return," she said.

Melina Khan is a national trending reporter for USA TODAY. She can be reached at [email protected].

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Do Cracker Barrel staff have to eat at its locations? Chain clarifies.

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