Additional Coverage:
Cracker Barrel to Close 14 Maple Street Biscuit Company Locations
Nashville, TN – Cracker Barrel Old Country Store, Inc. has announced the closure of 14 Maple Street Biscuit Company restaurants, just six years after acquiring the fast-casual breakfast chain. The company cited a failure to meet financial expectations as the primary reason for the widespread closures.
Maple Street Biscuit Company, established in 2012, carved out a niche as a fast-casual eatery specializing in freshly baked biscuits served alongside classic breakfast and brunch dishes like eggs and fried chicken. Its counter-service model and breakfast and lunch-only hours offered a distinct experience compared to Cracker Barrel’s traditional full-service dining, which provides a broader menu encompassing dinner options. Maple Street was designed for customers seeking a quick, focused morning meal.
This wave of closures follows earlier indicators of struggle for the biscuit chain under Cracker Barrel’s ownership. The parent company had previously slowed the expansion of new Maple Street locations and reported underperformance, resulting in a significant $16.2 million impairment charge.
A Cracker Barrel spokesperson confirmed that the 14 locations “simply didn’t meet our financial expectations.” The company expects these closures to have a limited impact compared to potential changes at the more nationally recognized Cracker Barrel brand, which has also faced its own challenges, including an 8% decline in traffic.
Maple Street Biscuit Company currently operates over 50 locations, primarily concentrated in the Southeast across Florida, Georgia, Tennessee, North Carolina, South Carolina, Alabama, and Texas. The specific locations slated for closure have not yet been publicly identified.