Cracker Barrel Bans Alcohol Reimbursement, Urges Staff to Dine at Company Restaurants

Cracker Barrel tightens travel dining, bans booze reimbursement

Cracker Barrel Old Country Store tells employees they must generally pay for their own alcohol while traveling for work and are expected to dine at company restaurants for most meals “whenever practical,” according to an internal message first reported by The Wall Street Journal. The guidance, circulated to traveling staff, instructs that alcohol purchases are no longer eligible for routine expense reimbursement and that exceptions for special occasions require pre‑approval from an E‑Team member.

The directive emphasizes practical qualifiers — location, schedule and pre‑approval — but formalizes a preference that employees use Cracker Barrel locations when on the road. Company spokespeople tell Fox News Digital and other outlets that the guidance is not an absolute requirement and that employees are not strictly limited to Cracker Barrel when work circumstances make other options necessary. Still, the explicit prohibition on expensing alcohol represents a new tightening of travel policy aimed at limiting reimbursable items.

Cracker Barrel frames the change as an administrative cost-control measure and part of consistent expense auditing as it seeks to curb discretionary spending. Management says it hopes the clearer rules will reduce outlays and set firmer expectations for employee spending as the company moves into the next quarter. The memo also advises employees to delay non‑essential work travel when feasible, underscoring a broader emphasis on trimming travel-related costs.

Rebrand controversy and sales pressure

The travel-policy update comes amid sustained scrutiny of Cracker Barrel after the chain abandoned a controversial remodeling and branding plan earlier this year that prompted public backlash. CEO Julie Masino acknowledges difficult months in media interviews and tells investors the turnaround will take time; the company reports sales pressure as it works to regain customer trust.

Public and media reaction

The policy prompt appears in broadcast and cable commentary and has drawn attention alongside prior coverage of the company’s branding reversal. Cracker Barrel reiterates the change is largely administrative and seeks to balance operational consistency with practical travel realities as it continues a multi‑month effort to stabilize performance.