Cracker Barrel is divesting Maple Street Biscuit Company, selling the breakfast brand to Biscuit Belly LLC while permanently shuttering 16 additional locations.
The Southern comfort chain announced the transaction this week, marking the end of a roughly six-year ownership run that began when Cracker Barrel acquired Maple Street in 2019 for $36 million. At that point, Maple Street operated 28 restaurants and 5 franchise locations across the country. The sale price of the current deal has not been disclosed, though Cracker Barrel stated the transaction will generate a non-cash charge of approximately $37 million to $39 million in the fourth quarter of its 2026 fiscal year. Because Maple Street represented only around 2% of Cracker Barrel’s annual revenue, the company views the divestiture as a cost-cutting measure aimed at strengthening its financial position heading into 2027.
What Happens to Existing Maple Street Locations
Of the locations that remain, 35 Maple Street restaurants are included in the Biscuit Belly deal and will be rebranded under Biscuit Belly’s name over the next 18 to 24 months. The 16 locations excluded from the sale will close permanently, affecting restaurants across seven states including Alabama, Florida, Ohio, Tennessee, and Texas. Not every affected location has publicly announced its closure yet.
The brand’s footprint had already been contracting. After growing to several dozen locations during Cracker Barrel’s ownership, Maple Street saw 14 locations shuttered in 2025 alone — leaving the current tally of 35 before this latest round of closures.
A Turbulent Stretch for the Brand
The Maple Street sale arrives less than a year after Cracker Barrel weathered a separate and very public stumble. In August 2025, the company unveiled a modernized logo that retired the long-familiar “old man and barrel” image. Customer backlash was swift and overwhelming, and Cracker Barrel ultimately reversed the redesign and ended its relationship with the branding firm responsible for it.
With the Maple Street chapter closing, attention will turn to whether streamlining its portfolio helps Cracker Barrel stabilize its core business through the remainder of fiscal 2026 and beyond.
