Generation Z — generally accepted as people born during the late ’90s or through the aughts — is discovering that food is not the only thing inside of Cracker Barrel restaurants, and it’s becoming a boon for America’s favorite country restaurant.
It’s not the Cracker Barrel Old Country Store’s restaurant captivating Zoomers, but the store attached to the eatery itself.
The trend first took off on TikTok.
According to Country Living, youths first began rushing to Cracker Barrel stores for vintage-style sweatshirts.
One Tiktoker said she bought a Cracker Barrel sweatshirt embroidered with a black Labrador, the same type of dog she owns.
The woman admits to seeing the clothing on her social media feed before stopping by Cracker Barrel to purchase it.
Another shopper recorded her own trip to Cracker Barrel, encouraging viewers to stop by their own local locations and leaving the store with a sweatshirt of her own.
The video posts have been seen by millions of people.
A Generation X TikToker weighed in on the trend, calling out the fad for the seemingly dated wear.
“Yep, I giggle to myself that the cool kids are wearing what our mee maws wore back in the 80s and 90s,” AdventuresWithAngel posted to TikTok, according to Country Living.
“My daughter said it’s ‘grannycore’ I’m like yep this is EXACTLY what my granny wore in the 80’s/90’s.”
Gen Z’s obsession with Cracker Barrel does not seem to be simply a fleeting social media moment, but an actual market trend with a significant impact on the business.
Cracker Barrel’s Chief Merchant and Retail Supply Chain senior vice president, Laura Daily, confirmed her team is more than excited about young people’s new love for the country store.
“We’re delighted by the reaction we’re seeing on TikTok when it comes to these vintage-inspired embroidered crewnecks. Our team loves to spot a trend and one trend we always lean into is what is old can be new again,” Daily told Country Living.
“We know GenZ loves vintage clothing so we’re so thrilled to know they have found this unique item and are loving it just as much as we are.”
The source of the excitement is clear — the trend coincides with a massive boost for the company’s bottom line.
“The reaction has been overwhelmingly positive,” Daily said, “and after going viral over the past few weeks, we’ve seen a 700% increase in sales since their September debut.”
If the trend continues, it appears Cracker Barrel may be in for better times.
