LEBANON Tenn. CBRL Group Inc., parent of the Cracker Barrel Old Country Store restaurant and gift shop brand, said same-store restaurant sales increased 1.6 percent for the six weeks ended Aug. 3, versus the same period a year earlier. The result was spurred by higher menu prices that offset declining traffic.
The July same-store sales jump reflected a 1.9-percent rise in average checks, aided by an average menu price increase of 2 percent, the company reported. Analysts estimated that the chain’s restaurant traffic slipped 0.3 percent, a better result than the 1.1-percent traffic dip in June.
CBRL, which operates 562 Cracker Barrel locations, has said new sales drivers include a new table configuration strategy to include more seating for two guests, a kitchen display system to improve service and a new billboard marketing strategy.
The chain’s retail same-store sales increased 1.5 percent for the July period, the company also reported.
