FinanceBuzz

Cracker Barrel Is Closing These 4 Stores in 2024

By Jenny Cohen,

2024-05-12

If you love Cracker Barrel, we have some unhappy news: The beloved restaurant chain is shutting down several locations in 2024.

There are more than 660 Cracker Barrel locations in 44 states, but a handful of restaurants are closing for good.

While this might help you keep more cash in your wallet , it can be a sad day when you learn that one of your favorite Cracker Barrel locations is disappearing. Here are the four stores closing in 2024.

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1. Sacramento, California

1000 Howe Ave.

The Sacramento Cracker Barrel recently closed its doors.

A sign at the closed restaurant read as follows: “We are deeply saddened to announce this location has closed.” The note directed customers to try another location in nearby Rocklin.

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2. Santa Maria, California

905 Betteravia Road

Santa Maria is known for its Santa Maria-style barbecue, so local residents still have some delicious options despite the fact that this Cracker Barrel has closed.

Cracker Barrel’s closings in Sacramento and Santa Maria leave five locations in California, including restaurants in Rocklin, Camarillo, Rialto, Bakersfield, and Victorville.

3. Medford, Oregon

1445 Center Drive

Medford had the last remaining Cracker Barrel in Oregon before the restaurant closed its doors in April.

Last year, the state lost three other locations in Beaverton, Bend, and Tualatin. News reports suggested that the COVID-19 pandemic took a toll on these locations and they were unable to recover.

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4. Columbia, South Carolina

253 Forum Drive

The Columbia location on Forum Drive closed in April, with a recorded voice message directing customers to visit other Cracker Barrel locations instead.

The state still has 23 cities where customers can enjoy chicken fried steak and biscuits and gravy, including two other locations in Columbia.

5. What customers had to say

Responses from customers varied when they discovered their local restaurants were shutting down.

Reddit member Bmorgam1983 said the Sacramento restaurant was in a terrible location and “needed to be more near the freeway for travelers.”

Of the Medford closing, Reddit member WolverineRelevant280 said, “I’ve been to a lot of Cracker Barrels and ours is the worst one. Not surprised.”

And in Beaverton, a customer named James made the following comment to local news station KGW while standing outside the closed Cracker Barrel there: "I didn't know if the Yankees could support good Southern cooking, and apparently not!"

6. Cracker Barrel’s struggles

Cracker Barrel has struggled in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. Some market watchers have noted that the restaurant appeals to older diners on fixed incomes and that many of these folks have struggled with rising inflation.

The company has also been transitioning to a new CEO after it hired a former Taco Bell executive — Julie Felss Masino — to take over the top spot.

In more upbeat news, the restaurant chain recently made headlines when a location in Tennessee sold off some of its antiques to make way for new decor. The sale was a smashing success, with between 600 and 700 items finding new homes with Cracker Barrel fans.

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Bottom line

Cracker Barrel is making some changes, including closing some locations. But other changes are more positive and might even help you to get ahead financially .

For example, in 2023, the restaurant chain introduced Cracker Barrel Rewards for loyal customers. It helps you earn “pegs” that you can use toward rewards. You also get a reward on your birthday.