Cracker Barrel's strict staff rule under fire as company email gets leaked

Cracker Barrel has cleared up the controversy after strict employee rules were leaked online.

The American restaurant and retail chain, known for its cosy, Southern country theme, serves up family-style favourites such as meatloaf, buttermilk biscuits, and hashbrown casserole.

Breakfast is served all day, with sides such as seasoned rice, green beans, macaroni and cheese, and fried apples often stealing the show.

But the business has recently come under fire for its surprising rule that employees are directed to follow.

According to an email, first seen by The Wall Street Journal, staff members travelling across the country for business meetings and other work-related events are expected to eat the ‘majority’ of their food in other Cracker Barrel restaurants.

There are just over 650 restaurants across 44 states, with the largest presence being in Florida, Texas, and Tennessee, as per ScrapeHero.

Cracker Barrel has issued a statement on its controversial employee policy (tirc83/Getty Stock Image)

“Employees are expected to dine at a Cracker Barrel store for all or the majority of meals while travelling, whenever practical, based on location and schedule,” the outlet reported the message as reading.

Moreover, the 1969-founded company suggested that personnel refrain from expensing alcoholic beverages without explicit permission.

“Exceptions for special occasions must be pre-approved by an E-Team member,” the notice allegedly said.

In a statement to FOODbible, a Cracker Barrel spokesperson said the company didn’t expect travelling staff members to eat ‘all’ their meals onsite - just whenever it was feasible.

"The policy for employees to dine at Cracker Barrel while traveling for business, whenever practical based on location and schedule, is not new," they said.

"Also, it is not the only place that our employees may eat when on the road, as previously reported. The change was to further limit reimbursement of alcoholic beverages under the policy."

The company claimed the policy had been in place since summer 2024 (Joe Raedle/Getty Images)

This isn’t the first time that Cracker Barrel has been embroiled in scandal.

Last August, the eatery confirmed it had abandoned plans to adopt a new logo after receiving backlash online about the proposed changes.

The scrapped logo saw the removal of Old Timer - a man sitting in a chair and leaning against a barrel. He was set to be replaced by an emblem featuring only the chain's name.

US President Donald Trump was one of the more vocal opposers to the change, later taking to his social media site, Truth Social, to congratulate the brand on its reversal.

"Congratulations 'Cracker Barrel' on changing your logo back to what it was. All of your fans very much appreciate it," he said.

Regarding going back on the new logo, the company said: “We thank our guests for sharing your voices and love for Cracker Barrel. We said we would listen, and we have. Our new logo is going away and our 'Old Timer' will remain.”