Cracker Barrel Old Country Store® Releases Report on Importance of Family Mealtime to Welcome Back Campfire Meals

Survey finds Americans feel challenged to maintain tradition of family
mealtime and are looking to restaurants for help in developing
meaningful connections at the table

LEBANON, Tenn.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Cracker Barrel Old Country Store® today announced the return of
guest-favorite Campfire Meals, a one-of-a-kind experience that
stimulates the senses by recalling memories of cherished time spent with
loved ones around a campfire, available at Cracker Barrel® locations
nationwide now through August 14, 2016. Campfire Meals allow families to
reconnect this summer around their own “campfire” at the table.

To coincide with this, Cracker Barrel released the findings of its
Cracker Barrel Campfire Survey, which found that more than 9 in 10
Americans say family mealtime is important but more than three out of
four admit they could do a better job at making time to sit down with
friends and family at the table. Millennial parents in particular
experience a challenge in finding time for family meals – 92 percent say
they could do a better job, according to the survey.

To help guests create a unique experience and draw everyone around the
table, Cracker Barrel will offer its famous Campfire Meals in three
delicious ways. Campfire Chicken and Campfire Beef are available
beginning today and Campfire Mixed Grill will release later this summer.
Delivered right to the table in a unique, tightly wrapped foil cooking
package that mingles fresh vegetables and a flavorful spice blend to
create a savory, memorable taste, the aroma of Campfire Meals stir the
senses to help guests make memories that will last a lifetime.

The Cracker Barrel Campfire Survey, which explored the important role of
mealtime for families, revealed that the largest barriers to spending
meaningful time together are amount of free time and distance. For
millennial parents, getting everyone around the table is only half the
battle – the top two barriers they cited were amount of free time (81
percent), followed closely by distractions at the table (80 percent).
The survey also found that the most important way restaurants can help
Americans form the meaningful connections they desire is by providing
special occasions to connect with family and friends.

In particular, parents of young children are looking to restaurants to
help them make mealtimes special. The survey found that millennial
parents are the most likely to say the following things were important:

• Unique experiences to make memories (91 percent)
• Opportunities for children to learn (85 percent)
• A space with few distractions (84 percent)
• Timely promotions or activities that tie into the season (82 percent)

“Since first released in 1997, our Campfire Meals have become wildly
popular – guests always ask when they will return next,” said Cracker
Barrel Vice President of Marketing Don Hoffman. “Few products succeed in
establishing this type of craving. What our guests love most about
visiting Cracker Barrel is an experience that helps forge authentic
connections with loved ones at the table, away from the distractions of
busy day-to-day life. Campfire Meals recall the outdoor fun of camping
under the stars, a favorite memory for many, and we are looking forward
to helping guests build connections at Cracker Barrel by recreating that
magic this summer.”

Based on the huge appeal of Campfire Meals in previous years, Cracker
Barrel expects to serve more than 3.8 million Campfire Meals this
summer. Campfire Chicken is offered for $9.99 from May 2 through August
14, while Campfire Beef is available until June 26 for $10.99. For the
first time, Cracker Barrel will offer Campfire Mixed Grill, which is
slow-roasted with savory USDA choice beef chuck roast and smoked
sausage, from June 27 through August 14 for $10.99. Every Campfire Meal
comes with a choice of made-from-scratch buttermilk biscuits or corn
muffins.

Survey Methodology

The Cracker Barrel Campfire Survey was conducted through an online
omnibus survey by Edelman Intelligence on behalf of Cracker Barrel Old
Country Store, Inc. among a nationally representative sample of 1,000
U.S. adults ages 18 and over between April 18 and April 22, 2016. The
margin of error for this sample is +/- 3.1 percent at the 95 percent
confidence level.

About Cracker Barrel Old Country Store, Inc.

Cracker Barrel Old Country Store, Inc. (NASDAQ: CBRL) provides a
friendly home-away-from-home in its old country stores and restaurants.
Guests are cared for like family while relaxing and enjoying real
home-style food and shopping that’s surprisingly unique, genuinely fun
and reminiscent of America’s country heritage…all at a fair price.
Established in 1969 in Lebanon, Tenn., Cracker Barrel Old Country Store,
Inc. and its affiliates operate 636 Cracker Barrel Old Country Store®
company-owned locations in 42 states and owns the fast casual restaurant
Holler & Dash™. Nation’s Restaurant News’ 2016 Consumer Picks survey
named Cracker Barrel Old Country Store® the Best Family-Dining
Restaurant in America. For more information about the company, visit crackerbarrel.com.

Contacts

Cracker Barrel Old Country Store, Inc.
Breeanna Straessle,
615-443-9589
media.relations@crackerbarrel.com