Restaurant chains across the U.S. have been closing weaker stores in 2024 as higher labor, food and occupancy costs continue to pressure profits. Cracker Barrel, the Lebanon, Tennessee-based breakfast chain and retail brand, is now part of that trend in Ohio. The company confirmed it plans to close 16 restaurants in the state as part of a broader effort to improve performance.
Cracker Barrel confirms 16 Ohio closures
Cracker Barrel Old Country Store confirmed the Ohio closures during its fiscal 2024 third-quarter update on May 16, 2024, when executives said the company was reviewing underperforming units. The chain said 16 company-operated restaurants in Ohio would close, making it one of the larger single-state reductions tied to the brand this year.
The company has about 660 locations nationwide, according to its investor materials, and Ohio has long been one of its larger Midwestern markets. In the same May earnings discussion, Cracker Barrel said it was working to improve traffic, simplify operations and lift restaurant-level performance. The closure count in Ohio was confirmed by the company, not by franchise filings, because Cracker Barrel primarily operates its own stores.
What is known in Ohio so far
What is confirmed is the number: 16 Ohio restaurants. What is not yet fully public is the complete location-by-location list, and the company has not released a comprehensive statewide breakdown naming every affected city.
That leaves uncertainty for communities where Cracker Barrel has been a regular stop near interstates and suburban shopping corridors. Ohio has locations in markets including Columbus, Cincinnati, Dayton, Toledo and Cleveland, but the company has not publicly said which of those areas will see closures tied to the 16-store total. As of now, customers should expect updates to appear first through store notices, employee communications and company statements rather than through a single statewide closure map.
Why the chain is making the move
Cracker Barrel executives said in the May 16 earnings update that the company has been dealing with softer guest traffic and a difficult cost environment. The company also said it was pursuing a broader turnaround that includes menu work, pricing changes, remodels and efforts to better serve core customers while attracting younger diners…