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This is an old revision of this page, as edited by CB JessicaM (talk | contribs) at 17:16, 1 March 2022 (Reply). The present address (URL) is a permanent link to this revision, which may differ significantly from the current revision.

Featured articleCracker Barrel is a featured article; it (or a previous version of it) has been identified as one of the best articles produced by the Wikipedia community. Even so, if you can update or improve it, please do so.
Main Page trophyThis article appeared on Wikipedia's Main Page as Today's featured article on January 11, 2013.
Article milestones
DateProcessResult
January 30, 2012Peer reviewReviewed
February 5, 2012Good article nomineeListed
February 6, 2012Good article reassessmentKept
March 12, 2012Peer reviewReviewed
May 13, 2012Featured article candidatePromoted
Current status: Featured article

Origin of name

Where does the name come from? What does it mean? — Preceding unsigned comment added by 198.90.93.21 (talk) 23:55, 1 March 2016 (UTC)[reply]

Interesting Read

I too found the topic rather boring at first, but was unaware of all the controversy surrounding the restaurant chain. The article was well written and it completes its goal of informing readers information that they did not know before they read it. Growing up eating at Cracker Barrels I had no idea that there was so much controversy about their policies and found it shocking. When I first began to read the section of the article that discussed the controversy I thought it was going to be biased against Cracker Barrel. To my surprise, it wasn't. I thinkn this is a good example of an article that is unbiased even though it talks about negative attention it has received. Overall, a great article. — Preceding unsigned comment added by Michaelgav09 (talk • contribs) 15:56, 6 February 2017 (UTC)[reply]

Vandalism.

People keep adding stuff about "Brad's wife" to the article, even after semi-protection. Might need to be watched for the next week or two. 2600:8800:2404:5C00:1041:D75F:77D0:B69F (talk) 05:47, 23 March 2017 (UTC)[reply]

  • This is an online meme, I'm wondering if there should be a brief sub-section in the Controversies section, something about labor practices using it as an example – not that we know the circumstances of the termination, but that it was controversial regardless. It's not the first time that a termination at Cracker Barrel has become a widely-discussed phenomenon. Jack N. Stock (talk) 13:43, 24 March 2017 (UTC)[reply]
We don't mention every passing meme in the main article. Let's at least wait and see if there's substantial coverage that continues in reliable secondary sources. Jonathunder (talk) 13:14, 25 March 2017 (UTC)[reply]

--(t) Josve05a (c) 17:06, 26 March 2017 (UTC)[reply]

Agreed - no need to cover every trivial meme. Kuru (talk) 01:44, 27 March 2017 (UTC)[reply]
Yup. What with the WaPo and all, maybe it belongs in List of complete nonsense or whatever we have for stuff like this, but not here. Herostratus (talk) 01:53, 27 March 2017 (UTC)[reply]
It may be a "silly meme" but it has received massive national media attention from outlets like the Washington Post [[1]]. Calling it a "silly meme" and not including anything about it, for example under "controversies", at this point is clearly inserting biased personal opinions into the article (bias can represent itself as lies of omission). Even the CIA has a task force on "meme warfare" and memology is a major recognized active area of study that has profound influence on the world. It is most certainly and unarguably of great significance to this article, vandalism notwithstanding. Even if it is a passing meme, you can be certain it will be studied at length by people who are interested in social media, corporate presence, and memeology. 144.92.166.201 (talk) 17:31, 27 March 2017 (UTC)[reply]
OK. Well, we do have List of memes. It would be there it should go since it better answers the question "What are some memes?" than the question "What is Cracker Barrel like?". The thing is, every entry in List of memes has its own article, so you'd want to do that first. Could we have an article on this? Speaking as the author of Vodka eyeballing and Planking (fad) and Beezin', my answer is: Yes. Yes, we could. So go to it, colleague! Herostratus (talk) 20:54, 27 March 2017 (UTC)[reply]
Hmm, Beezin'. Note that Burt's Bees was popularly sold in Cracker Barrel. This may all be a delicately crafted web of nonsense. Kuru (talk) 23:17, 27 March 2017 (UTC)[reply]

Semi-protected edit request on 28 March 2017

I notice that Cracker Barrel only currently employed 69,999 people (minus Brad's Wife) WeWantJusticeForBradsWife (talk) 03:03, 28 March 2017 (UTC)[reply]

@WeWantJusticeForBradsWife: Not done. TJH2018talk 03:15, 28 March 2017 (UTC)[reply]

Requested move 18 May 2017

The following is a closed discussion of a requested move. Please do not modify it. Subsequent comments should be made in a new section on the talk page. Editors desiring to contest the closing decision should consider a move review. No further edits should be made to this section.

The result of the move request was: not moved (non-admin closure) —MRD2014 📞 contribs 21:05, 25 May 2017 (UTC)[reply]


Cracker Barrel → Cracker Barrel Old Country Store – Company's official name; want to distinguish from Cracker Barrel cheese or actual cracker barrels Mvcg66b3r (talk) 23:47, 17 May 2017 (UTC)[reply]

This is a contested technical request (permalink). Anthony Appleyard (talk) 04:58, 18 May 2017 (UTC)[reply]
The above discussion is preserved as an archive of a requested move. Please do not modify it. Subsequent comments should be made in a new section on this talk page or in a move review. No further edits should be made to this section.

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Semi-protected edit request on 23 February 2018

Your section map about Cracker Barrel restaurants has omitted the one nearest to me: Washington, PA 1008 Trinity Circle Washington, PA 15301-2972 724-222-7050 207.255.126.78 (talk) 14:55, 23 February 2018 (UTC)[reply]

Where are you seeing a location map? Kuru (talk) 15:13, 23 February 2018 (UTC)[reply]
 Not done - We don't have maps showing the locations of retail outlets in any of our articles, so you must be seeing this on another platform e.g. Google, Bing, etc. which are outside of our control. - Arjayay (talk) 16:05, 23 February 2018 (UTC)[reply]

NASCAR Sponsorship

Cracker Barrel's sponsorship turned into a fiasco and eventually a lawsuit. I believe it merits a mention and I'm seeking opinions of others as to where this information should be mentioned. Is the preference under the existing controversies section or should it be mentioned after the NASCAR information already in the article? Modor (talk) 22:02, 8 November 2018 (UTC)Modor[reply]

It might be worth a mention in that article, but probably not here. Jonathunder (talk) 14:53, 30 October 2018 (UTC)[reply]
I agree that it could be mentioned in 2001 Cracker Barrel Old Country Store 500, particularly as it ended the sponsorship. Jack N. Stock (talk) 05:06, 1 November 2018 (UTC)[reply]

Adding section on Cracker Barrel logo controversy

Recently there's been a controversy brewing after someone noticed that the loop on the far right of Cracker Barrel's logo resembles a whip. Many have responded by boycotting the store and regretting their purchases. Is this worthy of inclusion under the Controversies section yet? — Preceding unsigned comment added by 73.164.18.97 (talk) 17:33, 9 February 2021 (UTC)[reply]

Consider FARC

Per Wikipedia:Featured article review, edits need to be considered since this is at FA status that seems too be falling short.


1) The lead has become unruly and is overly focused on controversy. The issues can be discussed in the prose and I wonder why we even have that many sources in the lead. The version had 1 of 3 paragraphs devoted to controversy, but it has gotten out of hand with controversy dominating the lead


2) There seems to be a lot of reverts in the last couple months. Looking further in to the history this seems to be a minor lightning rod of an article which has made it inherently unstable.


3) MOS:Images is not met

3a. Why is the gift shop image underCracker Barrel#Restaurants left justified and sandwiching with "A Cracker Barrel guest playing peg solitaire"

3b. 2012 wasn't that long ago, so where is the alt text?


4) Sourcing

4a. Looks OK overall but a lot of primary sourcing

4b. At least one date in inconsistent and publish date with access date is not consistent.

4c. Is Human Rights Campaign or the NAACP reliable sources on this subject?

4d. Why is staff writer even wikilinked in a source?

4e. I verified at least one dead link and there are multiple other flags and timeouts per the external link tool.


5) The weight given to controversy alone makes the article read as a "hit peice". I'm not saying that there is no room for criticism, but:

5a. Even the section titles don't meet the MOS on how to use dashes with Cracker Barrel#Race- and gender-based discrimination lawsuits

5b. And of course WP:UNDUE and Wikipedia:Criticism; it would be much better to reduce the overall footprint or try to integrate Cracker Barrel#Controversies in to the history section. Note: The FA nom did have a "controversy" section in 2012 and I am actually surprised that got past the reviewers.


6) 1 redlink: Maple Street Biscuit Company

2601:601:CE7F:E270:D6E:C938:448E:2071 (talk) 11:04, 13 February 2021 (UTC)[reply]

Personal Introduction and Infoxbox Updates

Hello! My name is Jessica, and I'm an employee of Cracker Barrel. I'm here on behalf of the company to suggest updates to the article. I disclosed my conflict of interest here and on my User page. I understand the community guidelines for COI editors and will only suggest edits and ask for help here on the Cracker Barrel Talk page, and will not directly edit the article myself.

I understand that this article has been thoroughly vetted by the community, but that was back in 2012. Like the recent comment above suggests, this featured article could use some updating. It's my goal to help editors by supplying up-to-date information and compliant sources.

To start, is it possible to update some stats in the infobox using the most recent annual report?

  • Number of locations = 663
  • Revenue = US$2.52 billion
  • Operating income = US$103.43 million
  • Net income (loss) = US($32.47) million
  • Total assets = US$2.54 billion
  • Number of employees = 55,000

Please reach out to me here or on my Talk page with any questions. Thanks! CB JessicaM (talk) 16:42, 19 February 2021 (UTC)[reply]

 Done Altamel (talk) 02:38, 2 March 2021 (UTC)[reply]
@Altamel: Thanks so much for taking care of those updates. I've posted another request below. If you have time to review, please feel free to. Thanks again, CB JessicaM (talk) 19:05, 5 March 2021 (UTC)[reply]

West Coast expansion

Is it possible to add mention of our expansion to the West Coast? I believe that counts as a milestone which is appropriate for inclusion in the encyclopedia, and would bolster recent company history. I've proposed text and provided sourcing below. Let me know if I can answer any questions, and I understand that editors may choose to change the language. I think this content would fit under History in either New markets and refocus or Operations

  • "In April 2017 Cracker Barrel opened its first location on the West Coast of the United States in Tualatin, Oregon as part of the company's effort to expand into more metropolitan areas.[1] The company marked the opening of its 645th store by bringing out Ray and Wilma Yoder, a couple who had previously visited the other 644 locations, and presented them with custom Cracker Barrel aprons.[2][3]

References

  1. ^ Garner, Meg (April 14, 2017). "Cracker Barrel opens first West Coast restaurant". Nashville Business Journal. Retrieved March 2, 2021.
  2. ^ Grossman, Lena (July 28, 2017). "Elderly Couple Couple Traveled 5 Million Miles to Hit Every Cracker Barrel in America Except One". Time. Retrieved March 2, 2021.
  3. ^ Pennell, Julie (August 29, 2021). "Couple completes mission to visit all 645 Cracker Barrels in America". Today. Retrieved March 2, 2021.

Thanks for reviewing. Please reach out with any comments or questions. CB JessicaM (talk) 19:05, 5 March 2021 (UTC)[reply]

I wanted to note here that I've added the edit request template to my initial post. I also have a small addendum to the above request below.
  • If editors add the content above about Cracker Barrel's West Coast expansion, would it also make sense to mention that Cracker Barrel continued its West Coast expansion and opened its first California location in February 2018, located in Victorville? This article from the Victorville Daily Press confirms that it was the first California location.

Feel free to reach out with comments or questions. Thanks, CB JessicaM (talk) 20:19, 12 March 2021 (UTC)[reply]

@CB JessicaM: I have implemented some of the changes. The Yoders do not seem appropriate for a section about new markets, which is where I placed the request. Also the bit about metros seems obvious from context. Let me know what you think. Urve (talk) 16:35, 13 March 2021 (UTC)[reply]
@Urve: Thanks so much for taking a look and adding that information about our expansion to the West Coast. I've posted some additional suggestions below about other recent changes to Cracker Barrel's operations. If you have time to review that would be great. One other quick question, you mentioned that the information about the Yoders didn't seem appropriate for the New markets section. Do you think that would be appropriate elsewhere in the article, such as somewhere in Restaurants? Thanks again, CB JessicaM (talk) 14:18, 19 March 2021 (UTC)[reply]

Additional changes to New markets and Operations

Hello, I have suggested some more updates to changes to Cracker Barrel's operations and focus on new markets below. I think these will be useful to the page to further fill in recent company history.

  • Add mention of when Cracker Barrel began offering Heat n’ Serve holiday meals in 2016, per this Today article, and continuing emphasis on off-premise sales in 2018, per this article in Nation's Restaurant News.
  • Add mention of Cracker Barrel's first major delivery partnership with DoorDash in 2020, per this Fox Business article.
@Altamel: Thanks so much for the detailed feedback. My goal here is to identify content gaps and info that can be updated, and I understand that not everything will be relevant to the article or preferred by editors. Your suggestions are great for guiding future requests. I'll consider your thoughts on how off-premise sales could be incorporated. For now, I have posted a request to update the Corporate Equality Index content in the LGBT Policies section. I've tried to match the existing tone, as you mentioned, and build on what's there, rather than provide only scores without context. I'm curious to hear your thoughts. Again, thank you for taking the time to give such thorough feedback and advice. CB JessicaM (talk) 17:38, 7 April 2021 (UTC)[reply]

Update to Corporate Equality Index info in LGBT policies

Hello, I'd like to request an update to the paragraph on Cracker Barrel's Corporate Equality Index score, in the LGBT policies section. The most recent data provided is from 2013, so I believe this update will give readers a more accurate account of Cracker Barrel's progress in this area. I've cited the Human Rights Campaign's reports since they're already used in the article, but the 2019 and 2020 scores can also be supported with this article from The Tennessean as well as this Knox News piece. I am open to questions, or changes editors think are appropriate.

  • Cracker Barrel earned 80 points in the 2019 report.[1] Since 2013, the company gained points for establishing policies prohibiting discrimination based on sexual orientation and best practices for LGBTQ training, outreach efforts to the LGBTQ community, and for having supplier non-discrimination standards. The company maintained its score of 80 in the 2020 and 2021 reports.[2][3]

References

  1. ^ "Corporate Equality Index 2019 - Full Report" (PDF). Human Rights Campaign. Retrieved 30 March 2021.
  2. ^ "Corporate Equality Index 2020 - Full Report" (PDF). Human Rights Campaign. Retrieved March 22, 2021.
  3. ^ "Cracker Barrel Old Country Store Inc". Human Rights Campaign. Retrieved 30 March 2021.

Thank you for looking. If you have any comments or suggestions, reach out here or on my Talk page. CB JessicaM (talk) 17:38, 7 April 2021 (UTC)[reply]

Please reach out with any comments or questions. Thanks, CB JessicaM (talk) 14:18, 19 March 2021 (UTC)[reply]

Thank you, CB JessicaM, for your suggestions. I must say, however, that I am not onboard with these requests. My issue is that you have not shown how these requests can be integrated into the article in a way that (1) fits within the existing narrative structure and (2) avoids becoming a disorganized list of events. What I want to avoid are paragraphs like the ones at Applebee's, where editors have added standalone paragraphs, for example "On July 16, 2007, IHOP Corp. announced that it agreed to buy Applebee's International...", without making any attempt to integrate them into the rest of the article. The same issue would arise if I were to just add "In 2020, Cracker Barrel partnered with DoorDash" to the article.
In my opinion, adding the partnership with DoorDash is not warranted at this time. Partnerships arise and dissolve, and it is too soon to tell how significant a role DoorDash will play in Cracker Barrel's corporate history. I do see some potential for mentioning off-premise sales, if the suggestion is reworked. There needs to be more context so that readers can understand the role of off-premise sales for CB. For instance, the following questions come to mind: when did CB begin expanding into catering/off-premise sales? What portion of revenues do off-premise sales account for? Has CB encountered any obstacles in expanding into off-premise sales? Of course, the reworked suggestion should cite reliable sources as appropriate.
As you correctly noted above, this article has been thoroughly vetted by the featured article process. For that reason, it is vital that any text added by edit requests fits in with the existing tone or organization of the article. I hope you will understand my reasons for using meticulous editorial standards to evaluate your requests. Best, Altamel (talk) 19:29, 19 March 2021 (UTC)[reply]
Since the report is already mentioned, I'm good with adding a line like "In 2019, Cracker Barrel earned a score of 80 on the index, and maintained that score in the 2020 and 2021 reports." with the sources you listed and after the line ending "benefits." Thoughts, Altamel and CB JessicaM? --FeldBum (talk) 02:40, 19 April 2021 (UTC)[reply]
@FeldBum: Your suggested version looks good to me. I don't make direct edits because of my COI. If you're available to implement the update that would be great. Thanks! CB JessicaM (talk) 19:23, 20 April 2021 (UTC)[reply]
I can make that change. Any feedback Altamel? I know you've been close to this. --FeldBum (talk) 19:50, 20 April 2021 (UTC)[reply]
No feedback, so added as is. Marking as answered. --FeldBum (talk) 18:55, 23 April 2021 (UTC)[reply]
@FeldBum: The addition looks good. I really appreciate you taking the time to make this edit on my behalf. If you're interested in continuing to collaborate, I've posted a new request below. Thank you! CB JessicaM (talk) 19:24, 5 May 2021 (UTC)[reply]
Hey CB JessicaM, let me dig into the request a bit. Feel free to bug me if I take too long. --FeldBum (talk) 03:13, 6 May 2021 (UTC)[reply]

Updates and clarifications for Conflict with Biglari Holdings

Hello again, Editors! I'm here with another suggestion for this article. Specifically, I'd like to propose some updates and clarifications to the Conflict with Biglari Holdings section, as there have been some recent developments that are not currently captured in the article.

  • Change "The owner of Biglari Holdings, Sardar Biglari, controls a 19.9% share of the company" to "The owner of Biglari Holdings, Sardar Biglari, said he controlled a 19.9% share of the company in 2013"
I'm making this suggestion because, as Altamel pointed out, with this page's status as a Featured Article it needs high editorial standards. I've included a time stamp, to clarify that the 19.9% ownership figure is not current, as the article suggests at this time. And also updated the language to reflect the language used in the cited source which says, "In a filing with the SEC the other day, the activist investor said his Biglari Holdings (NYSE:BH) had acquired a near-20% stake in Cracker Barrel…" Here is the SEC filing it seems to refer to, in case editors would like to use that source for verification.
  • Add to the end of paragraph one: "Sardar Biglari made another attempt to join Cracker Barrel's board in 2020, which shareholders rejected. At the time, he reportedly controlled approximately 8.7% of the company.[1]
This update shows that Biglari's attempts persist, and provides more recent details on his ownership in the company, in line with the above update clarifying that the 19.9% ownership figure currently in the article is not accurate.
  • In paragraph two, Change "Biglari has requested to be on the board of directors three times, and has been denied each time by a vote of shareholders." to "As of 2020, Biglari had made five attempts to join the board as a candidate himself or by proxy.[2] Each attempt has been denied by a shareholder vote."
My thought with this update is to make the figure recent, and provide another time stamp so the content does not become outdated and inaccurate. I've included a source in the proposed text that I hope is suitable for supporting the change from "three" to "five" attempts.

References

  1. ^ Parton, Mitchell (September 15, 2020). "Cracker Barrel rejects SA investor Sardar Biglari's attempt at control". San Antonio Business Journal. Retrieved April 20, 2021.
  2. ^ Danner, Patrick (November 24, 2020). "Cracker Barrel shareholders hand San Antonio investor Sardar Biglari worst defeat". San Antonio Express-News. Retrieved April 30, 2021.

Please feel free to leave feedback or make suggestions. I understand that editors may prefer to make changes or may not find all of my suggestions relevant. I'll continue to avoid making any direct edits myself due to my conflict of interest. I appreciate any assistance in making improvements to the article. Thanks, CB JessicaM (talk) 19:24, 5 May 2021 (UTC)[reply]

Hello FeldBum. I thought I'd check-in and see if I can offer any additional assistance as you review this request. I appreciate your work here as a volunteer and am happy to do what I can to make that easier for you. Thanks again, CB JessicaM (talk) 14:46, 12 May 2021 (UTC)[reply]
I have made two of the three requested edits, which represent clarifications and updated information. I did not make the first of your three requested edits because it appears more intended to bias the intend of that section, which is sourced and relevant to the subject matter. I’ll leave it to other editors to determine whether that change should be included. Go4thProsper (talk) 11:27, 19 May 2021 (UTC)[reply]
@Go4thProsper: Thank you for taking the time to implement those changes and weigh in on the other. Do you think it would be more appropriate to focus instead on just updating the language to past tense "Sardar Biglari, controlled a 19.9% share..." and add a timestamp to clarify when it's referring to? My top priority here is that the article be clear to readers, and I'm happy to defer to what editors think is best. Again, thanks for the updates and sharing your thoughts here. CB JessicaM (talk) 20:15, 24 May 2021 (UTC)[reply]
FeldBum, do you have any thoughts on the remaining portion of this request or my proposed revision per Go4thProsper's note? Thanks! CB JessicaM (talk) 21:22, 9 June 2021 (UTC)[reply]
CB JessicaM, I have implemented your proposal as "According to SEC filings", which is a more traditional language and doesn't introduce bias. JBchrch talk 16:25, 28 June 2021 (UTC)[reply]
@JBchrch: thanks for that addition, your change makes sense. What do you think about changing "controls" to past tense? Since the article also has more recent statistics of the Biglari Holdings ownership (For example, this San Antonio Express News article and this San Antonio Business Journal story confirm ownership of approximately 8.7% as of 2020), it seems confusing to readers if the outdated 19.9% ownership statistic is written in the present tense. Thanks again for your assistance! CB JessicaM (talk) 13:30, 9 July 2021 (UTC)[reply]

Five Decades, One Voice

Hi there! I'm back with another request for help and advice.

Specifically, I am curious if there's a section in the article where it would be appropriate to add a brief mention of our Five Decades, One Voice campaign? The article mentions Cracker Barrel's association with country music at several points. I thought perhaps in New markets and refocus, it might work to add a short entry along the lines of "Cracker Barrel's involvement with the country music industry has also included their 2019 'Five Decades, One Voice' campaign. The company partnered with female country music singers such as Loretta Lynn, Trisha Yearwood, and Brandi Carlile to highlight their work after a study found female country artists receive less radio time than male artists." Here are a few sources that talk about the campaign for editors to review:

Any thoughts are welcome. I appreciate the time volunteer editors take reviewing these requests so that conflict of interest editors like myself can remain hands-off. Thanks! CB JessicaM (talk) 15:29, 18 June 2021 (UTC)[reply]

  • @CB JessicaM: first, I want to thank you for the work you are doing on this subject. But this edit would not be an improvement to the article: not because the information is not sourced (it is, and thnak you for providing the sources), but because it would cause the article to suffer even more from WP:RECENTISM. This is a company with a greater than 51-year history. All else equal, we in theory should give just as much weight in the article to the 1971 advertising campaign as the 2021 advertising campaign. But of course since we don't cover the one from 50 years ago, the article should not cover this year's either. This featured article is one of Wikipedia's 0.1% best, and to keep it that way we need to make sure it covers the company at a very high, encyclopedic level. Please feel free to ping me back if any of the above is not clear. UnitedStatesian (talk) 01:59, 22 June 2021 (UTC)[reply]
@UnitedStatesian: That clarification on WP:RECENTISM is quite helpful, thank you! There's certainly a lot to learn on Wikipedia, and I'm grateful for the thoughtful responses from editors such as yourself. To make sure I fully understand your reasoning here, and to stick with your advertising campaign example, it sounds like there would need to be longer-term coverage including Cracker Barrel's advertising/marketing campaigns from reliable sources to show that there is a general interest in that part of the company's history. If that were the case, it would be included in the form of a historical narrative summarizing the most notable of those campaigns, in whichever section of the article is most appropriate (either within the existing structure or as a separate section/sub-section). Is that right? There are some other campaigns I was interested in asking about, and your response here will further clarify what information would improve the article and help me determine what would be worth including in my future requests.
One other question, on the topic of maintaining the article's quality. I have a partially fulfilled request above regarding Cracker Barrel's history with Biglari Holdings. The section Conflict with Biglari Holdings still contains some outdated information presented in the present tense. Specifically, it says "The owner of Biglari Holdings, Sardar Biglari, controls a 19.9% share of the company". Would you be willing to update that to past tense and include an "as of 2013" timestamp to indicate when the 19.9% ownership statistic was reported? Thank you so much for your time and for considering my requests. CB JessicaM (talk) 19:24, 22 June 2021 (UTC)[reply]

Merge Leadership and Corporate Affairs?

Hi there! I'm back with another request for this article. I've been thinking about changes that would make the article more evergreen, and require less maintenance.

  • Would it be possible to remove Leadership and instead just list the CEO in Corporate affairs? I think this change would make the article more evergreen by having fewer positions to keep current.

UnitedStatesian and JBchrch, tagging you both here since you've responded to other recent requests.

Thanks so much for the continued help from editors to review my requests and implement appropriate content so I can remain hands-off with my COI. Happy to answer any questions. CB JessicaM (talk) 16:23, 26 July 2021 (UTC)[reply]

JessicaM, so just to clarify, you would like to remove the section entirely and just mention the CEO in Corporate affairs? If that is the case, could you just provide where (or how) you would like it to be introduced in the Corporate affairs section? Thanks. JBchrch talk 21:04, 15 August 2021 (UTC)[reply]
@JBchrch: That's correct. I think it could be kept as simple as saying "Sandra B. Cochran is the CEO and president of the company. She's held the position since September 2011. Prior to this position, Cochran served as Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of the company from April 2009 until November 2010 and was named President and Chief Operating Officer of the company in November 2010." Placing at the top of the section would probably make the most sense. Thanks for your help! CB JessicaM (talk) 17:19, 17 August 2021 (UTC)[reply]
@CB JessicaM: Are the titles "Vice President" and "President" really necessary in this context? Couldn't we just say Prior to this position, Cochran served as Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of the company from April 2009 until November 2010 and was named President and Chief Operating Officer of the company in November 2010? JBchrch talk 10:23, 19 August 2021 (UTC)[reply]
@JBchrch: Those changes look good! Thanks for working with me on this, CB JessicaM (talk) 18:53, 20 August 2021 (UTC)[reply]
@CB JessicaM: No problem! Feel free to review my changes. [2] JBchrch talk 21:33, 20 August 2021 (UTC)[reply]
@JBchrch: Those changes look great to me, thank you! CB JessicaM (talk) 20:46, 26 August 2021 (UTC)[reply]

Brad's Wife meme in the article

I think the Brad's Wife meme should be referenced in the article. It has reliable coverage [3], [4], and [5]. I wanted to discuss it here due to prior discussions. (Oinkers42) (talk) 22:30, 26 July 2021 (UTC)[reply]

It may be helpful to outline what has changed since the prior discussion in 2017. Kuru (talk) 03:59, 27 July 2021 (UTC)[reply]
Especially since all three of those links are to 2017 articles. --Orange Mike | Talk 17:26, 17 August 2021 (UTC)[reply]

Restaurant decor warehouse request

Hello! I have another suggestion for this page. Cracker Barrel's decor warehouse and the Singleton family are a unique and interesting part of the company's history. The warehouse is briefly mentioned, but I was wondering if we can expand it a bit? Here's my idea for content that could be added to Locations, service, and decor, with sourcing that supports the change:

Evins reached out to Don and Kathleen Singleton, who ran an antique store in Lebanon, Tennessee, and asked them to decorate the first Cracker Barrel location in 1969. The Singletons decorated each of the early restaurants, and their son, Larry Singleton, took over the job in 1979, which he held until his retirement in 2019.[1][2] Items received or purchased by the company are brought to the facility to be cleaned, restored, and cataloged.[3] As of 2018, more than 90,000 items were stored in the warehouse.[4]

References

  1. ^ Lagomarsino, Katherine (April 11, 2018). "Dream Job Alert: This Man Is In Charge of Buying Antiques for Every Single Cracker Barrel". Country Living. Retrieved August 6, 2021.
  2. ^ Beck, Ken (November 20, 2019). "Singleton lives in his 'Lebanon museum'". The Wilson Post. Retrieved August 18, 2021.
  3. ^ Williams III, G. Chambers (September 2, 2013). "Cracker Barrel warehouse is treasure trove of Americana". USA TODAY. Retrieved August 6, 2021.
  4. ^ Matthews, Lauren (April 11, 2018). "12 Things You Didn't Know About Cracker Barrel". Country Living. Retrieved August 6, 2021.

JBchrch, tagging you here to ask if there is any chance you're up for reviewing another request?

As usual, I will let editors determine if this change is worth implementing due to my COI. Thank you for looking! CB JessicaM (talk) 15:19, 24 September 2021 (UTC)[reply]

Hi Orangemike. I saw your edit summaries and that you changed my request back after I altered the wording. Apologies if my changes were confusing. I've changed my request to use the word "decor" because upon further review I thought it was a better descriptor since the warehouse stores decorations for the restaurants. If you have thoughts on whether this is an appropriate addition to the article, I'd be happy to hear them. Thanks! CB JessicaM (talk) 15:19, 24 September 2021 (UTC)[reply]
It just seems to me that "decor" is not the term they use, and not the kind of term their customers would be likely to use. It clashes with the folksy style they are shooting for. --Orange Mike | Talk 21:43, 24 September 2021 (UTC)[reply]
@Orangemike: Not sure if you saw my COI disclosure at the top of the Talk page, but I am an employee of Cracker Barrel. I can confirm that we use the term "decor warehouse" internally, but I also think it makes sense from a Wikipedia perspective. The current article uses the term in Locations, service, and decor:"The decor at each location typically includes artifacts..." and Wikipedia currently redirects "decor" to the interior design article, which accurately describes the purpose of the warehouse, it supports the design scheme for our restaurants. We don't sell antiques, and the items themselves fall more into the realm of cultural artifacts.
I appreciate your time giving feedback here. Thanks! CB JessicaM (talk) 17:33, 28 September 2021 (UTC)[reply]
 Done Notable enough for inclusion IMO. Thanks for providing references @CB JessicaM. Always helpful. DatraxMada (talk) 21:50, 20 October 2021 (UTC)[reply]
@DatraxMada: Thanks for your assistance implementing this request, I apprecate your help! CB JessicaM (talk) 15:41, 21 October 2021 (UTC)[reply]

Image changes

Hello, this is Jessica from Cracker Barrel, stopping by with another request. I looked through the images of Cracker Barrel on Wikimedia Commons and saw a few I think would improve the article.

  • Can we change the photo of a Cracker Barrel in Minnesota with this image? I think this is a better general example of the restaurant's typical façade.
  • This close up photo of peg solitaire shows the subject clearer, could it replace the current photo of a guest playing the game.
  • Lastly, Locations, service, and decor mentions that "Each location features a front porch lined with wooden rocking chairs..." I thought adding this photo would be a good compliment to that example.

Due to my COI, I don't edit the article myself and instead rely on other editors to review my requests and implement appropriate changes. I'm open to questions and feedback. Thanks for taking the time to look! CB JessicaM (talk) 15:04, 24 September 2021 (UTC)[reply]

Hey CB JessicaM, I added the rocking chair photo, as I feel like that adds to the content of the page. I'm torn on the others, but leaning to making that change. Any feedback from other editors? TY --FeldBum (talk) 16:21, 18 October 2021 (UTC)[reply]
@FeldBum: thank you for that addition. I'll check back in a bit to see if other editors have responded. Do you have any thoughts on the decor warehouse request above? Thanks! CB JessicaM (talk) 15:05, 19 October 2021 (UTC)[reply]
Sorry, missed that one CB JessicaM. Let me check now. --FeldBum (talk) 18:09, 19 October 2021 (UTC)[reply]
Looks like someone got that one, CB JessicaM. I added in another photo and so I think I'll close this off. --FeldBum (talk) 03:13, 25 October 2021 (UTC)[reply]
@FeldBum: thanks for that! Do you think it's necessary to have this along with the image of a Cracker Barrel in New markets and refocus? I see they have the same caption, so it seems like one would be enough. Happy to defer to whatever you think is best. Thanks! CB JessicaM (talk) 17:06, 28 October 2021 (UTC)[reply]

Revisiting present tense use in Biglari

Hello again! I'd like to revisit a request I made a while back. I worked with editors to update the ownership figures in Conflict with Biglari Holdings. One sentence in the first paragraph of that subsection still uses present tense to describe outdated information, which I think is confusing for readers. "According to SEC filings, Biglari Holdings controls a 19.9% share of the company, just short of the 20% needed to trigger a shareholder rights plan, more commonly termed a "poison pill"."

  • I suggest changing this language to be past tense, and possibly add a timestamp. The information in that sentence was accurate as of 2013.

FeldBum and DatraxMada, since you've both recently responded to my requests, I was hoping one of you could take a look at this. Let me know if you have questions or feedback. Thanks! CB JessicaM (talk) 17:06, 28 October 2021 (UTC)[reply]

Hey @CB JessicaM:, I'll take a look. --FeldBum (talk) 18:25, 28 October 2021 (UTC)[reply]
Hey @CB JessicaM:, it's a good edit (I hate fuzzy time in WP) so I made it. --FeldBum (talk) 16:09, 29 October 2021 (UTC)[reply]

Add Cracker Barrel name origin context

Hello again! This is Jessica with another suggestion for the article. Currently, there's a brief mention of the name's origin in First location and early company history:with a name chosen to give it a Southern country theme.

  • The current wording is a bit vague and doesn't explain why it evokes a "Southern country theme". I'd like to suggest adding a bit more history on the name, to give readers more context. Here's something I think would work:
The name comes from old-time country stores which formerly served as a gathering place for those in the community. Typical country stores contained "cracker barrels" that were used to transport soda crackers and then repurposed into makeshift tables. People would stand around the barrels chatting and catching up, similar to modern-day water coolers.

I don't edit the article directly myself because of my COI. I'm grateful to all of the editors who help review my requests. FeldBum, thanks so much for helping correct the fuzzy time in the Biglari section. If you're available to review this request, I'd be glad to keep collaborating with you. Thanks! CB JessicaM (talk) 22:17, 17 November 2021 (UTC)[reply]

Hey CB JessicaM, taking a look now. --FeldBum (talk) 14:21, 18 November 2021 (UTC)[reply]
Ping @CB JessicaM:. Done with some edits so as not to be repetitive. Interesting stuff. --FeldBum (talk) 21:11, 19 November 2021 (UTC)[reply]
@FeldBum: The changes you made look fine to me, thanks for adding this. If you're interested, I've posted a new request below. Thanks again for all the help! CB JessicaM (talk) 22:23, 22 November 2021 (UTC)[reply]

Cracker Barrel's work with Dolly Parton

Hi there! I'm back with another suggestion for the article. Cracker Barrel's done a lot of work in the country music industry, and in particular our work with Dolly Parton has a history that's worth mentioning in the article. I put together some content (see below) and I'm curious what editors think?

  • Cracker Barrel's work in the country music industry includes collaborations with Dolly Parton. The company first worked with Parton in 2009 on the collector's edition of her album Backwoods Barbie. Since then, the company has released collector's editions of other Parton albums. It also brought together Parton and the a cappella group Pentatonix to create a remix of Parton's song Jolene, which won a grammy award for best country duo/group performance in 2017.[1] Parton also performed as part of Cracker Barrel's appearance in the 2020 Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade.[2]

References

  1. ^ Warren, Lisa (February 14, 2017). "East Tennessee's Dolly Parton Gets 8th Grammy Win". The Greeneville Sun. Retrieved November 18, 2021.
  2. ^ Shelton, Caitlyn (November 11, 2020). "Dolly Parton to perform in Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade". WZTV Nashville. Retrieved November 18, 2021.

Huge thank you to editors for helping review my edit requests so I can follow all of the COI guidelines, I appreciate the ongoing support! CB JessicaM (talk) 22:23, 22 November 2021 (UTC)[reply]

Ping @CB JessicaM: I might trim this a smidge, but I think it's worth adding. What section would it go in? Are you thinking of a new section? --FeldBum (talk) 15:35, 27 December 2021 (UTC)[reply]
@FeldBum: That sounds good, I trust your judgment on what's appropriate. Originally, I thought this would fit nicely in the In popular culture section that was added recently, but I see that's been removed. If you agree, we could add that section back in, I might have a couple of other content ideas for it. Otherwise, would it make sense to have a subsection in History for CB's music industry work? Thanks! CB JessicaM (talk) 18:37, 4 January 2022 (UTC)[reply]
Can't say I disagree with removing that Popular Culture section (it really didn't have much), CB JessicaM. Let's add to History for now and I'll think about a separate section as we add in more. --FeldBum (talk) 19:18, 4 January 2022 (UTC)[reply]
@CB JessicaM: Done, with some edits. Can't really talk about country music work when we're only referencing one artist for now. BTW, in the future, please add {{request edit}} to your requests to loop in other editors too. Thanks! --FeldBum (talk) 19:27, 4 January 2022 (UTC)[reply]
@FeldBum: The addition looks great. Thanks for adding that, and for the reminder about the request edit template. CB JessicaM (talk) 18:18, 6 January 2022 (UTC)[reply]

FA sweeps

Looking at this older featured article as part of the ongoing FA sweeps. The short awards section is sourced only to sources from the early 2010s; surely there is more recent content to include here. Additionally, a couple of the sources used here are no longer considered to be reliable - The Motley Fool and The Street. Additionally, it should be checked to make sure that all financial statistics provided are fully up to date. For instance, the lead uses the 2019 value for assets, but presumably 2020 financials have been released by now. Hog Farm Talk 21:06, 27 December 2021 (UTC)[reply]

@Hog Farm: Thanks for bringing this up! I've been working with editors to update the page and would like to help with this. Since I'm an employee of Cracker Barrel and have a COI, I don't edit the article directly. I've collected some sources and figures to make the suggested updates. FeldBum, if you're available, would you be willing to help with this FA sweep?
  • Here's our 2021 annual report and some updated stats for the fiscal year ending July 31, 2021:
  • Cracker Barrel locations: 664
  • Revenue: $2.821 billion
  • Operating income: $366 million
  • Net income: $254 million
  • Total assets: $2.391 billion
  • Total shareholder equity: $663 million
  • Employees: 70,000
  • I collected some more recent awards for editors to consider:
  • Out and Equal Workplace Advocates named Cracker Barrel’s LGBT Alliance ERG as the 2018 Employee Resource Group of the Year. Source: Knox News
  • 2019 Secretary of Defense Employer Support Freedom Award. Source: The Military Times
  • 2019 America’s Best Customer Service according to a Newsweek and Statista survey. Source: Newsweek
  • 2021 Top casual dining chain for treating all guests with respect according to a Technomic survey. Source: Restaurant Business
I have some replacement sources, but I'm not sure they fully support the current content, so some changes might be needed. I'll defer to editors on what's appropriate.
  • Here's an SEC report that I think can replace the Motley Fool source.
  • The Street source was a bit more difficult to find a direct replacement for. This article from Restaurant Dive is more recent, and has some similar details about Biglari.
Let me know if you have any questions. Thanks! CB JessicaM (talk) 19:23, 12 January 2022 (UTC)[reply]

Music partnerships and revisiting the Yoders

Hi, Jessica here. I'm back with another couple of requests for editors to review. As a reminder, I do not make direct edits because of my COI. FeldBum, since you helped me with the Dolly Parton content, I thought you might be interested in weighing in here as well.

  • Can we add some additional examples of Cracker Barrel's partnerships and work in the music industry to Partnerships?
  • During Cracker Barrel's 2019 'Five Decades, One Voice' campaign, the company highlighted female country music singers such as Loretta Lynn, Trisha Yearwood, and Brandi Carlile after a study found female country artists receive less radio time than male artists. The initiative also included creating all-female playlists for the company's restaurants.[1][2] The campaign won a Clio Award in 2020.[3]
  • In 2021, Cracker Barrel launched the 'Care it Forward' campaign, in which the company partnered with musicians such as Shane McAnally, Jennifer Nettles, and Cece Winans and connected them with up-and-coming musicians as mentors.[4]
  • Cracker Barrel's other partnerships in the country music industry have included collaborating with The Oakridge Boys on their album "It's Only Natural";[5] exclusive music deals with Alan Jackson;[6] and bringing together Ingrid Andress, Kimberly Schlapman, and Karen Fairchild to collaborate on a version of Andress' song "More Hearts Than Mine".[7]
  • A while back, I asked about adding a mention of the Yoders as part of an addition about our West Coast expansion. The reviewing editor noted that mentioning them didn't fit in that section. I wonder if it would fit in the Restaurants section? I reworked my previous content a bit to this:
  • One elderly couple, Ray and Wilma Yoder, drove a combined total of more than 5 million miles to visit 644 Cracker Barrel locations. When the company opened their 645th restaurant, in Tualatin, Oregon, it flew the Yoders out for the grand opening and presented them with custom Cracker Barrel aprons and rocking chairs, among other gifts.[8][9]

References

  1. ^ FitzPatrick, Hayley (July 9, 2019). "Country's biggest female stars band together for equal representation, industry changes". ABC News. Retrieved January 31, 2022.
  2. ^ Moss, Marissa R. (July 29, 2019). "Little Big Town, Ingrid Andress Cover Dixie Chicks for Women in Country Campaign". Rolling Stone. Retrieved January 31, 2021.
  3. ^ "Cracker Barrel Old Country Store: Five Decades, One Voice". Clio. 2020. Retrieved January 31, 2022.
  4. ^ Farthing, Lydia (June 22, 2021). "Cracker Barrel Launches Care It Forward With Shane McAnally, CeCe Winans, Jennifer Nettles". Music Row. Retrieved January 25, 2022.
  5. ^ Shields, Judy (November 24, 2020). "The Oak Ridge Boys Member Joe Bonsall Talks About Their New Live Dinner Christmas Show at Opryland Now Until Christmas Night". The Hollywood Times. Retrieved January 25, 2022.
  6. ^ Huelsman, Morgan (November 17, 2020). "The Top 10 Richest Country Singers In The World". 103.5FM. Retrieved January 25, 2022.
  7. ^ Bernstein, Jonathan; Freeman, Jon; Hudak, Joseph (December 2, 2020). "Year in Review: 10 Best Country Collaborations of 2020". Rolling Stone. Retrieved January 25, 2022.
  8. ^ Grossman, Lena (July 28, 2017). "Elderly Couple Couple Traveled 5 Million Miles to Hit Every Cracker Barrel in America Except One". Time. Retrieved March 2, 2021.
  9. ^ Pennell, Julie (August 29, 2021). "Couple completes mission to visit all 645 Cracker Barrels in America". Today. Retrieved March 2, 2021.

As always, I appreciate the time volunteer editors spend reviewing my requests, and will defer to the community on what's appropriate for the article. Thanks! CB JessicaM (talk) 18:57, 31 January 2022 (UTC)[reply]

I can help with these. The only trouble I see is that "exclusive music deals" seems a little vague, but I can look it up. The restaurant/Yoders line looks fine to me too. --FeldBum (talk) 23:25, 2 February 2022 (UTC)[reply]
I added the Yoders for now. Very cute story. --FeldBum (talk) 20:57, 4 February 2022 (UTC)[reply]
@FeldBum: Thanks so much for adding that! I see what you mean about "exclusive music deals". Do you think that with this source we could say "working with Alan Jackson to release an album along with a collection of clothing and various collectibles."? Happy to hear your thoughts. CB JessicaM (talk) 17:06, 8 February 2022 (UTC)[reply]
@CB JessicaM: That should work. I'll take a look and add. --FeldBum (talk) 00:53, 23 February 2022 (UTC)[reply]
@FeldBum: Sounds great! Let me know if there's anything else I can do to help out here. Thanks, CB JessicaM (talk) 17:16, 1 March 2022 (UTC)[reply]

Recent changes to name and infobox

Hello! Jessica from Cracker Barrel here again. I saw that IMakeBurgers recently changed the company name in the Introduction and Infobox from "Cracker Barrel Old Country Store, Inc." to "CBOCS Properties, Inc.". The name should be Cracker Barrel Old Country Store, Inc., which is the parent company. CBOCS Properties, Inc. is a subsidiary. This SEC report can confirm these details. Would someone mind changing that back?

IMakeBurgers, I also noticed that you added 2021 financial data to the Infobox. Thank you for updating that! Do you think we could remove the 2020 data so that Infobox does not become too cluttered? I think it's standard to just have one year of financial data there. I'd also invite FeldBum to weigh in here, in case you have any thoughts.

I don't make direct edits because of my COI. Thanks so much for helping keep the article current! CB JessicaM (talk) 20:54, 9 February 2022 (UTC)[reply]

It looked like the name got changed back, but I'll check out the financial data. --FeldBum (talk) 23:54, 9 February 2022 (UTC)[reply]
@FeldBum: Sounds good, thanks! Let me know if there's anything I can do to help. CB JessicaM (talk) 19:54, 14 February 2022 (UTC)[reply]
@CB JessicaM: I took a look at other pubic company pages, and you're right that the standard is a single, recent year, so I updated the infobo. All done. --FeldBum (talk) 19:17, 16 February 2022 (UTC)[reply]
@FeldBum: Much appreciated! Did you by chance see the alternate text I suggested in the Music partnerships request above? Thanks for all your help! CB JessicaM (talk) 20:59, 21 February 2022 (UTC)[reply]
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