Cracker Barrel to Close 14 Maple Street Biscuit Co. Locations After Rebrand Fallout

Cracker Barrel plans to shutter 14 Maple Street Biscuit Company restaurants, reducing the chain from 68 locations to 54 as it scales back a brand it hoped would propel growth.

Maple Street Biscuit Company, founded in Florida about 13 years ago, offers premium breakfast items such as chicken and biscuits, lattes and hash bowls. Cracker Barrel bought the chain in 2019 for $36 million, expanding it to 68 locations at its peak earlier this year.

Regulatory filings show Maple Street has lost an estimated $16.2 million in value over the past year as sales lagged expectations. Cracker Barrel’s decision to close 14 Maple Street locations comes as the company confronts a broader sales slowdown tied to a controversial rebrand and a weaker earnings period.

In Cracker Barrel’s latest earnings update, the 660-unit rustic restaurant operator reported a $30 million year-over-year sales drop from June to August, versus last year, a decline the company attributed to softer demand across its portfolio. Executives forecast next year’s sales to fall about 4% to 6%.

The closures come after a difficult summer that was punctuated by a rebrand that backfired with customers and drew wide attention. On Aug. 19, Cracker Barrel unveiled a new logo for the first time in 48 years, replacing the iconic cross-legged old man on a rocking chair with a simple yellow background and shifting interior design away from farmhouse-style lattice wood toward brighter, more modern finishes. Critics argued the changes stripped the brand of its character, prompting calls for boycotts and a hasty reversal.

The logo and restaurant-design changes were promptly reversed as the company faced backlash. Still, the branding controversy coincided with a sales slide that has investors reassessing the brand-renewal strategy. Some observers noted that the publicity could raise visibility for Cracker Barrel, though it is unlikely to translate into an immediate lift in traffic or margins. A YouGov survey cited in coverage of the episode found that 65% of Americans were aware of the logo change, while 29% said the changes made them less likely to dine there.

"We appreciate the continued patronage of the many guests who have dined with Maple Street at these 14 locations over recent years and thank our team members for their passionate dedication to Maple Street and focus on delivering fantastic guest experiences day in and day out," a Cracker Barrel spokesman said ahead of the closures. The company added that it hopes loyal guests will continue to dine with Maple Street at its other remaining locations.

Analysts urged caution, noting that while the rebrand generated attention, it is not a guaranteed path to higher sales. Neil Saunders, a retail expert at GlobalData, told outlets that while the publicity boosts brand visibility, it probably won’t drive substantial short-term gains in demand.

Cracker Barrel’s leadership has signaled a continued focus on stabilizing its core business while reevaluating noncore brands and marketing strategy as it navigates a slower growth environment.