"According to a January 30, 2026, article in The Wall Street Journal, the popular restaurant chain mandates, "Employees are expected to dine at a Cracker Barrel store for all or the majority of meals while traveling, whenever practical based on location and schedule." This means that after a long day of handling crucial Cracker Barrel business while on the road, employees are then expected to post up at the closest Cracker Barrel restaurant for their meal."
"In a less surprising move, the company also prohibits traveling employees from purchasing alcohol unless it is done with their own money. These directives could be designed to save the company money after its poorly conceived attempt to modernize its iconic look to appeal to a new demographic. Cracker Barrel's disastrous logo redesign also turned out to be a waste of money, as it was quickly reversed after public uproar caused Cracker Barrel stock to sharply decline."
Cracker Barrel mandates employees dine at its restaurants for all or the majority of meals while traveling whenever practical based on location and schedule. The company prohibits traveling employees from purchasing alcohol using company funds, requiring personal payment for such purchases. The rules appear aimed at reducing expenses following a costly, quickly reversed logo redesign that led to public backlash and a stock decline. The travel dining mandate can prevent employees from trying local restaurants unless they pay out of pocket and may add financial strain for workers facing inflation and higher living costs. The company says the mandate is not as strict and is not a new 2026 change.
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