Cracker Barrel to Close 14 Maple Street Biscuit Locations as Rebrand Fallout Deepens

Cracker Barrel is shuttering 14 Maple Street Biscuit Company restaurants, trimming its Maple Street footprint to 54 units as the once-promising brand struggle continues to weigh on the parent company. The closures come after a period of turmoil that included a highly scrutinized branding overhaul and a dimming sales outlook for Cracker Barrel’s portfolio of roughly 660 restaurants. Cracker Barrel bought Maple Street in 2019 for about $36 million when the chain had 28 locations, expanding it to as many as 68 earlier this year.

Maple Street Biscuit Company, founded in Florida roughly 13 years ago, built its identity on premium breakfast staples such as chicken in biscuits, lattes, and hash bowls, with price points that put it in a more upscale segment of the breakfast market. Filings show Maple Street lost an estimated $16.2 million in value over the past year as sales lagged expectations, and the closures leave 54 locations still operating. The move signals Cracker Barrel’s challenge of balancing growth initiatives with core brand priorities as it navigates a difficult summer.

In the latest earnings update, Cracker Barrel warned that profits would fall next year even as it acknowledged ongoing pressures across its dining platform. The company said its 660-unit network posted a $30 million sales decline from June to August versus a year prior, a slide equivalent to about 2.3 million plates of country fried steak. Management forecast that next year’s sales would drop another four to six percent as the company absorbs the Maple Street closures and other ongoing optimization efforts.

The closures arrive against a backdrop of a controversial rebrand that critics argued stripped Cracker Barrel of its character. In August, the chain debuted a new logo for the first time in 48 years, swapping the iconic cross-legged old man on a rocking chair for a simple yellow background. The redesign also included changes to restaurant interiors, replacing farmhouse-style lattice wood with brighter, more modern finishes. The backlash was swift on social media and among customers, with some accusing the changes of erasing the brand’s heritage and charm. Cracker Barrel subsequently reversed course on both the logo and the interior redesigns, in an acknowledgment of the backlash from guests and fans.

The rebrand saga drew broader attention to Cracker Barrel’s marketing decisions, with analysts noting that while the publicity could raise brand visibility, it is unlikely to produce a material, near-term lift in traffic or sales. A YouGov poll cited in coverage of the period found that roughly 65 percent of Americans were aware of the logo change, but only 29 percent said the changes made them less likely to dine there. That context helped investors gauge the impact of branding shifts on a brand that has long relied on its nostalgic, country-style image.

Cracker Barrel’s leadership emphasized appreciation for Maple Street guests and employees as it proceeds with the wind-down of 14 locations. A company spokesperson said they valued the loyal patrons who dined at Maple Street during its tenure and encouraged guests to continue supporting Maple Street’s remaining locations while the company focuses on optimizing its portfolio. The move underscores Cracker Barrel’s ongoing efforts to recalibrate its growth strategy after a year marked by branding controversy, store-level underperformance, and a reevaluation of non-core acquisitions.