Cracker Barrel
Schuylkill Mall Road - Frackville, PA
We stopped here for dinner on my birthday. I've always enjoyed this place. I'm not generally a fan of the country aesthetic, but this chain had a very pleasant atmosphere. The dark colors and dim lighting are especially appealing to me in a world where businesses seem to want everything to be lit up like an airport food court. The antique tools and advertisements hanging on the walls gave the place a unique feel, and the fireplace is very inviting, especially when we're seated near it on a cold winter's night. The delicious and uncomplicated homestyle dinners fit right in at a place like this.
Unfortunately, the charm of Cracker Barrel is on borrowed time. Their new CEO apparently feels like the defining characteristic of the chain is a problem that is responsible for their downward trend in sales. They've started remodeling their restaurants to look like the one in this photo which was shared by the chain to give customers an idea of what their local restaurant will look like when they are remodeled. Everything that felt special and homey about the place has been eliminated.
Thankfully, the Cracker Barrel that's closest to home for us has not yet been gutted, so I took a few photos of the place while it's still the cozy and comfortable place that we've always loved. I can't imagine that we'll be visiting very often when this changes.
It was cool while it lasted. Only thing we can do is enjoy it while it's still here before it becomes yet another business who outsmart themselves and eliminate the thing that made them special in the first place in what will very likely be their final years.
