Cracker Barrel Is Testing Its Biggest Menu Changes Yet
Between the price hikes, restaurant closures, and store remodels, Cracker Barrel has already undergone an abundance of changes since the start 2024. Now, customers can expect to see big updates to the country-themed menu as well.
The chain just unveiled key details about its "largest menu revamp test" in company history. While its executives first announced they had been piloting a revamped menu in select stores back in February, they've shared very little information on what the menu test entails up until now.
The revamped menu is available now through Aug. 5 at 14 Cracker Barrel restaurants in the following Texas cities: Abilene, Allen, Amarillo, Arlington, Benbrook, Cypress, Houston, Kingwood, Lubbock, Midland, Weatherford, and Wichita Falls.
"This Texas-sized test includes approximately 20 new items, a new menu design that's easier for guests to navigate and reduces recipe complexities for employees," Cracker Barrel said in a June 25 press release.
While Cracker Barrel didn't reveal all 20 new menu items in the announcement, it did highlight five of the standouts:
- Hashbrown Casserole Shepherd's Pie (1590 calories): slow-simmered pot roast in a savory sauce with onions, celery, carrots, peas, and mashed potatoes. It's topped with a griddled hashbrown casserole crust and sour cream and served with a choice of hand-rolled buttermilk biscuits or cornbread muffins.
- Green Chile Cornbread (1,280 calories): cheesy green chile cornbread drizzled with honey and topped with whipped butter.
- Chicken n' Dumplin Soup (130 calories): homestyle "dumplins," shredded chicken, celery, carrots, and onions in a savory broth.
- Banana Pudding: homestyle banana pudding layered with vanilla wafers, whipped cream, and caramel sauce.
- Cinnamon Bread French Toast (1,290 calories): cinnamon streusel bread dipped in batter and griddled until golden brown. It's topped with cinnamon and cream cheese icing and served with two eggs plus the customer's choice of bacon or sausage.
Alongside these new additions, Cracker Barrel has also expanded its Daily Specials options (popular items only available on certain days of the week) as part of the menu revamp test. The new offerings include Southern BBQ Ribs (770 calories) only available on Saturdays, Chicken n' Rice (510 calories) only available on Sundays, and Lemon Pepper Trout n' Turnip Greens (330 calories) only available on Mondays.
"For nearly 55 years, guests have known and loved us for our authentic, homestyle cooking, and that's not going away, we've only added more flavor and crave to the menu and made it easier to navigate," said Senior Vice President of Operations, Cammie Spillyards-Schaefer, Cracker Barrel's senior vice president of operations, said in a statement. "We're excited for the Texas community to be the first to experience some of our new culinary innovations like premium, savory Chicken n' Rice and Green Chile Cornbread and we look forward to gaining valuable feedback, from both our guests and employees on the test."
While the new food options are only available in Texas for now, restaurant chains often test new items at select locations to see if they're popular enough to roll out nationwide. So, fans outside of Texas can keep their fingers crossed for a wider launch further down the road.
The menu revamp test is only one part of a major brand transformation currently underway at Cracker Barrel. The chain announced in late 2023 that it was launching a "strategic transformation initiative" to reinvigorate business after struggling with declining customer visits. In addition to enhancing the menu, the initiative includes upgrading employee trading programs and improving the guest experience with tweaks to the store design and atmosphere.
Nutrition information has been included when available.
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