Cracker Barrel Reopens with Wine and Beer Program

Any mention of Cracker Barrel Old Country Store evokes thoughts of a row of rocking chairs, sit-down checkerboard areas, and classic comfort food. Now, the Southern sit-down chain is adding a new dimension to its identity with a brand new offering: alcohol.

As CEO Sandra Cochran recently told Restaurant Business, Cracker Barrel is gradually adding booze to menus across the country. Although the initiative began prior to the coronavirus crisis, closures relating to the pandemic quickly halted any expansion of the program until recently.

With some locations slowly reopening, Cracker Barrel is now serving wine, beer, hard cider, and Mimosas at 20 Florida locations, with more of the company’s 664 locations to be added later.

According to Cochran, Cracker Barrel is including alcohol on menus and simplifying food offerings to adapt and recover from the financial setbacks of Covid-19.

For a restaurant that has never sold alcohol, the news comes as a pleasant surprise, and promises a future filled with cornbread, biscuits, and beer.