Cracker Barrel Employees Revolt Against 'Woke' CEO Amidst Empty Restaurants

Cracker Barrel's 'Woke' Rebrand and Its Consequences

• 🎯 The Cracker Barrel CEO, Julie Flesmina, is criticized for a costly and unnecessary rebrand, including changing the iconic peg game with "colored pegs" and altering rules, which insiders claim is destroying the company.
• 💰 Flesmina, reportedly earning $7 million annually, is accused of making decisions that negatively impact employees and tank the company's stock, while investors and employees suffer.

Impact on Employees and Business Decline

• 📉 A Cracker Barrel waitress shares her struggle, having only served three tables and made $13 in an entire shift, highlighting a significant drop in customer traffic.
• 🍽️ Photos and reports show Cracker Barrel restaurants, even during peak dining hours, are nearly empty, with one location in Mount Juliet, Tennessee, described as "completely and totally empty."
• ⚠️ Employees report issues like microwaved meatloaf and rock-hard biscuits, further contributing to customer dissatisfaction and business decline.

Investor Warnings and Stock Performance

• 📈 Cracker Barrel's stock has reportedly declined by 60% over the last five years, with a recent uptick attributed to Donald Trump calling for the CEO's firing.
• 📣 Top investors reportedly warned the CEO and board repeatedly that the rebranding was "obvious folly" and would fail, but these warnings were dismissed.
• 💸 The rebranding effort is estimated to have cost $700 million, a significant investment that appears to have backfired.

DEI Initiatives and Employee Impact

• ✊ Cracker Barrel's DEI initiatives, such as the "Be Bold" program for black leaders, are questioned in light of the negative impact on black employees, like the waitress struggling to get tables.
• 💔 The narrative suggests that "wokeness" disproportionately harms those at the bottom of the corporate ladder while benefiting executives who can move on to other positions.