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Southern-themed restaurant chain Cracker Barrel Old Country Store has unveiled its biggest menu overhaul ever and is testing the new menu for a limited time, only in Texas, at 14 locations across the state.

The new menu is part of a strategic transformation initiated in May to relaunch the chain.

Cracker Barrel was founded in 1969 in Lebanon, Tennessee, as a restaurant and gift store, specializing in home cooking and retail products – from rocking chairs to pancake mix to children’s games.

They offer affordable home cooking, a cuisine that is increasingly hard to find; but according to a statement, they have struggled to manage sales and traffic since the pandemic, with traffic down 4% for the second quarter ending January 26.

Their plan: a brand overhaul that includes this new test menu, along with other initiatives like store renovations and digital technology, with a goal stated by CEO Julie Felss-Masino of modernizing and refreshing the Cracker Barrel brand without losing its down-home charm.

The 20-item menu test, which includes green chile cornbread and banana pudding, began in February at a single store and is currently being served at 14 Texas Cracker Barrel locations, available now through August 5.

Cracker Barrel Hash Brown Casserole Shepherd’s PieCourtesy of Cracker Barrel

Highlights of the new menu include:

• Hashbrown Casserole Shepherd’s Pie: A slow-cooked pot roast served with onions, celery, carrots, peas and mashed potatoes, topped with a hash brown and sour cream crust. Served with a choice of buttermilk biscuits or cornbread muffins.
• Green Chili Cornbread: Cheesy green chili cornbread drizzled with honey and topped with whipped butter
• Chicken and Dumpling Soup: Homemade “dumplings” served with shredded chicken, celery, carrots and onions in broth
• Cinnamon French Toast: Toasted cinnamon streusel bread topped with cinnamon and cream cheese frosting, served with two eggs and a choice of bacon or sausage
• Banana Pudding: Layered with vanilla wafers, whipped cream and caramel sauce

They’ve also updated their daily specials selection, rotating menu classics like lemon pepper trout and classic turnip greens with new Southern BBQ pork ribs and savory chicken and rice.

“For nearly 55 years, our guests have known and loved us for our authentic, family-style cuisine, and that’s not going away, we’ve just added more flavor and excitement to the menu and made it easier to navigate,” said Cammie Spillyards-Schaefer, Senior Vice President of Operations. “We’re excited for the Texas community to be the first to experience some of our new culinary innovations like our premium, savory chicken and rice and green chile cornbread, and we look forward to gathering valuable feedback from both our guests and employees as we test.”

The only places you can try them are:

• Allen, 1323 Central Highway N.
• Arlington, 4300 South Bowen Rd., I-20 and Bowen Rd.
• Arlington, 1251 North Watson Rd., SR 360 and Brown Blvd/Ave K
• Benbrook, 8010 SW Loop 820, I-20 and Winscott
• Weatherford, 132 East I-20, I-20 and Highway 51
• Houston, 18151 Katy Freeway, I-10 and Barker-Cypress Road.
• Houston, 14765 N. Freeway, I-45 and Airtex
• Kingwood, 24400 Eastex Fwy, US Highway 59 and North Park
• Cypress, US 290 and Mueschke Rd., 27040 NW Fwy
• Abilene, 1602 Hwy 351, I-20 and State Hwy. 351
• Amarillo, T2323 I-40 East, I-40 and Quarterhorse Dr.
• Lubbock, 5018 Milwaukee Ave, Hwy 82 and Milwaukee Extension
• Midland, 3108 N Loop 250 West, Loop 250 and Wadley Ave.
• Wichita Falls, 2400 Sierra Dr, I-44 and Sierra Dr.

Since they only offer their menu to a limited number of locations and only in Texas, it seems essential that every Texan try them. They are entrusting us with this task. We could single-handedly save this company’s life.

The company and its subsidiaries operate approximately 660 Cracker Barrel Old Country Stores in 44 states and also own the fast-food restaurant Maple Street Biscuit Company, which they acquired at an unfortunately inauspicious time: in October 2019, on the eve of the pandemic.