Employees at Cracker Barrel Speak Out Amid Controversy

Cracker Barrel staff are voicing their concerns about the restaurant chain’s management following issues related to its logo and food preparation practices.

In a recently shared video, an employee seems to reveal their cooking methods. “Every time I come to the Cracker Barrel, I want to know how the meatloaf is cooked,” they said. The video, showing stacked trays of meatloaf, claims, “We’ll throw it in the microwave and then serve it to you. And sometimes it’s still cold.”

Weight loss influencer Kari Ferkamp has highlighted complaints from Cracker Barrel employees about CEO Julie Fels Masino’s decisions that, according to them, have downgraded kitchen standards by serving frozen meals.

One anonymous employee wrote, “We had a gag order today and were told we weren’t supposed to talk about how the food was made.” This employee also mentioned their previous experiences in the kitchen, where fresh dishes were prepared.

Ferkamp has received more letters from staff since her Tuesday video, suggesting that the quality of food has drastically changed. The fired worker noted, “We cooked homemade food in our country,” but now described their offerings as nearly fast food, emphasizing that meals are just pre-packaged and heated.

There are also reports of cuts to employee hours, which might prevent access to health benefits. Staff expressed concerns that servers who fail to sell enough takeaway or popular items face repercussions, particularly in smaller stores.

“We have a family to feed and a bill to pay,” the employee lamented. In response, Masino acknowledges laying off many long-term workers, stating they expect remaining staff to increase their efforts.

Meanwhile, the 55-year-old company has faced backlash after revealing its new logo last week, which was short-lived. Following a significant reaction from customers and even political figures, Cracker Barrel announced plans to revert to its traditional logo soon after.

In a statement, Cracker Barrel expressed gratitude to its customers, saying, “We said we’ll listen, and we have. Our new logo will go away and the ‘Old Timer’ will remain.” However, analysts suggest that the company’s swift reaction indicates a deeper concern regarding customer traffic.

Mark Kalinowski, a restaurant analyst, commented, “When I see the company reacting right away, I say the fuss is worth the reaction. The explanation is probably that guests have stopped coming.”