Cracker Barrel closes only location in entire state after 15 years and employees found out when they showed up for work

After 15 years in business, Cracker Barrel has abruptly closed its last outlet in one state.

The staff says they were not informed in advance of the restaurant’s abrupt closure this month.

According to local ABC affiliateWGME, a worker at the Cracker Barrel on Portland, Maine’s south side, close to the Maine Mall, claimed that when they arrived at work on January 22, they were told about the closure.

Additionally, a notice explaining the restaurant’s sudden closure was put up outside.

Additionally, the Google listing for the location indicates that it is permanently closed.

The closure was necessary, Cracker Barrellater told the outlet in a statement, following losses brought on by the coronavirus outbreak and “other challenges.”

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Workers will receive assistance in locating employment at other Cracker Barrel stores.

Given that the South Portland location was the final one in Maine, that will probably be difficult.

FANS FUME

Locals sympathized with the displaced employees but weren’t upset to see the Cracker Barrel disappear.

“I visited there once. The manager didn’t care about fixing the poor food and service. “That’s how your restaurant gets shut down,” a disgruntled local wrote in a Facebook thread.

Another said, “I only enjoyed their store—the food wasn’t very good.”

“The fact that they never gave their employees notice is wrong! The company requires workers to offer two weeks’ notice if they wish to finish. A third shouted.

Another person underlined, “What a terrible thing to do to your employees,”

Cracker Barrel has been approached by the U.S. Sun for additional details.

CONTINUED PATTERN?

Since the spring of 2024, the restaurant company has closed at least five locations, including this one in South Portland.

In April, locations in Sacramento, California; Medford, Oregon; Mount Juliet, Tennessee; and Columbia, South Carolina, permanently closed.

Restaurant closures in 2024

Major restaurant businesses’ bosses have announced a number of closures. A list of the chain’s impacted members has been compiled by the U.S. Sun.

• 
  Cracker Barrel:
  
  Stores in Medford, Oregon, Columbia, South Carolina, and Sacramento, California, have closed.
• 
  Mod Pizza:
  
  Bosses dramatically shuttered 27 shops in April, including some in the state of California.
• 
  Frisch’s Big Boy:
  
  Restaurant chiefs confirmed the closure of a restaurant in Covington, Kentucky in April.
• 
  Outback Steakhouse:
  
  The chain will shutter 41 ‘underperforming’ locations this year.
• 
  Two Bucks:
  
  Four restaurants in Ohio closed in April.
• 
  Chili’s:
  
  A restaurant in Port Arthur, Texas, has shut permanently as well as one in Irvine, California, and one in Pittsfield, Massachusetts.
• 
  Friendly’s:
  
  Bosses confirmed an establishment in Ronkonkoma, Long Island will close.
• 
  Pizza Hut:
  
  A restaurant in Glen Falls, New York, closed at the end of March, followed by four in Ohio in June and 15 in Indiana. This was followed in July by a bankruptcy filing from its parent company which announced the closure of 150 locations.
• 
  Carl’s Jr.
  
  : The first Boise, Idaho location has closed.
• 
  In-N-Out
  
  : An Oakland location closed earlier in the year due to crime in the area.
• 
  Cheesecake Factory
  
  : The chain is set to shutter a location in Memphis, Tennessee in July.
• 
  Applebee’s
  
  : Announced the closure of between 25 and 35 locations this year.
• 
  Red Lobster:
  
  The seafood chain filed for bankruptcy in May and shuttered over 100 locations.
• 
  Taco John’s:
  
  Shuttered a restaurant in Minnesota and put the building up for sale in May.
• 
  Frisco’s Chicken:
  
  The poultry restaurant shuttered all of its locations over the summer
• 
  Rubio’s Coastal Grill:
  
  Has announced the closure of 48 locations in California after filing for bankruptcy.
• 
  Burger King:
  
  Shuttered a location in California in June after 30 years.
• 
  Foster’s Freeze:
  
  Shuttered a location in California after five decades in business due to financial struggles.
• 
  Chicken Salad Chick:
  
  After nine years the restaurant shuttered one location in Jacksonville, Florida, with no reason given.
• 
  M xico Lindo
  
  : The New York City-based restaurant announced its final day after 52 years and finally shuttered its doors for good on July 31.
• 
  American Dream Pizza:
  
  Closed all of its locations in Oregon in July.
• 
  Tender Greens:
  
  The Southern California-based chain filed for bankruptcy.
• 
  Lefty’s Famous Cheesesteaks, Hoagies, & Grill
  
  : Abruptly shuttered 18 locations in July due to a family feud.
• 
  Firehouse Subs:
  
  Shuttered a location in the Tri-Cities area of Washington State over the summer citing “unforeseen circumstances”
• 
  Taco Time:
  
  The Taco Bell rival shuttered a location in Seattle after 50 years following a death in the franchise owner’s family.
• 
  Burgerim
  
  : Shuttered a location in Burlington, Massachusetts in July, reigniting bankruptcy fears from 2020.
• 
  Denny’s:
  
  The chain has shuttered over 40 locations so far this year with the owner of the one outlet blaming vandalism.
• 
  Starbucks:
  
  The chain shuttered one of its most iconic locations in New York City after almost three decades with fans blaming crime. It also lost a location in Seattle.
• 
  Subway:
  
  In August, the sandwich chain shuttered over 20 locations across the US and Canada after a franchisee lost money after being a victim of fraud.
• 
  IHOP:
  
  A restaurant in New Hampshire shut its doors after 24 years, leaving four locations in the state.
• 
  Switchback Coffee Roasters:
  
  The popular chain filed for bankruptcy in August after over a decade in business.
• 
  Jimmy John’s:
  
  The sandwich shop chain shuttered a location in Nevada on August 19 after 12 years citing overexpansion issues.
• 
  KFC
  
  : Closed the remaining three locations in Rockford, Illinois all on the same day on August 19. In total, it closed six locations across four cities in Illinois.
• 
  Rusty Bucket:
  
  The chicken shop chain confirmed it would officially leave Florida as it announced a handful of closures including in Sarasota and Ohio.
• 
  Buca di Beppo:
  
  The Olive Garden rival abruptly shuttered 44 locations across five states before filing for bankruptcy.
• 
  Red Robin
  
  : Announced the closure of its Ashburn, Virginia location on August 25 after 15 years in business.
• 
  Noodles & Company
  
  : Shuttered dozens of locations due to their contribution to around $2 million worth of losses.
• 
  Shoney’s
  
  : The classic American-style food chain founded in 1947 officially exited Ohio after three decades of business as it reduced its operational footprint.
• 
  Homegrown:
  
  The sandwich chain based in Seattle announced the closure of 10 locations leaving 150 employees in the lurch.
• 
  World of Beer:
  
  Filed for bankruptcy after closing 14 outlets.
• 
  Arby’s:
  
  The chain announced a number of closures this year including in Lexington, Kentucky, Akron, Ohio,
• 
  Uno Pizzeria & Grill:
  
  Shuttered a location in New Jersey in July, leaving just two in the state, followed by the closure of a Baltimore location in August.
• 
  Hart House:
  
  Shutterd all four locations in California in September just two years after the vegan fast-food restaurant chain was launched by actor and comedian Kevin Hart.

Additionally, the closure announcements were given in a different way.

In Sacramento, a sign was placed on the door, and in Columbia, patrons learned about it via the voicemail answering machine.

“To our Sacramento community, we’ve been honored to welcome guests into a home-away-from-home at our store, and we’ve valued the opportunity to be part of so many special occasions for our guests and community for nearly six years,” it stated.

Although the Mt. Juliet location confirmed that only renovations were being made, the Medford closure was likewise permanent.

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In June, Cracker Barrel also faced criticism after CEO Julie Felss Masino announced that higher menu prices were imminent.

The chain also faced criticism in December for allegedly refusing “to seat a group of disabled students.”