She said in May of 24 that they wanted to attract a younger client base. I believe the stat that was thrown out was that 43% of their client base was over the age of 55. The 18-34 crowd was in the high teens/low 20s percentage. I think it's part of the reason they started serving alcohol.
While I am all for companies changing strategies to stay in business, the rollout of those strategies can be just as important as the strategy itself. In the Cracker Barrel rollout, the term diverse was used to describe items on the menu as well the customers it attracts. For better or worse, that word can be saddled with negative connotations, especially from those on the right as they would equate it with diversity, equality and inclusion agendas. I don't think it was meant that way but that's the narrative I think some have run with.
Keep in mind too, that the older crowd is more likely on a fixed budget and Cracker Barrel did increase prices so that could be a factor in the declined in customers, and since Covid, there are still older people who don't want to eat out as much. My parents are two of those people.
I get the need to change but the execution here leaves a lot to be desired.
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