The Cracker Barrel-Owned Chain That's Falling Faster Than You Can Say Biscuit

In August 2025, Cracker Barrel stumbled into controversy with a now-canceled modernization of its logo and restaurant interiors. The company may have expected the changes to go down smoother given that it already owns a different Southern restaurant chain with modernized, country-inspired interiors. But unfortunately, this brand is falling on even harder times than its parent company.

As reported by TheStreet, Maple Street Biscuit Company expects to close 14 locations in the 2026 fiscal year, about 20% of its 68 total restaurants. Losing a fifth of a brand in one year is significant on its own, but this is also a major reversal from Maple Street's previously promising growth.

When Cracker Barrel bought Maple Street Biscuit Company in 2019, the brand only had 28 locations, a figure which new ownership more than doubled. That growth began to reverse in 2024, however, with a slight decrease in planned new stores, followed by two closures in 2025 and zero new locations. On a 2024 earnings call with investors, a Cracker Barrel executive said that it's pausing expansion while Maple Street improves its business model (via Investing.com). But what do customers have to say?

Customer complaints suggest that Maple Street Biscuit Company just isn't what it used to be. On Reddit, one customer wrote they used to eat there regularly, but on a recent visit, "it was empty at noon, the food was terrible, felt low quality and kinda bland, as well as way more expensive than I ever remember paying." A commenter in another Reddit thread hammered the high prices: "15 dollars for a ... biscuit. They can keep [it]."

Some graver issues may also be to blame. One Charlotte, North Carolina location closed sometime in 2024 after a health inspection found various kitchen surfaces covered in old food buildup, insects, and mildew, along with improper food storage temperatures.

Cracker Barrel's own mishaps are already part of the 10 most controversial food rebrands of all time, and the myriad problems with its Maple Street brand may drag the whole company down even further. Quick-service breakfast is still a huge industry, and brands like First Watch and Grumpy's Restaurant are some of the breakfast chains we're about to see everywhere — just don't expect a new Maple Street for a while.