Cracker Barrel is launching a new promotion to give away free gas and food, aiming to attract budget-conscious customers back to the chain restaurant. The 'Fuel Your Summer Road Trip' sweepstakes offers prizes totaling $250,000 in food and gas, as Americans grapple with soaring fuel costs and high grocery bills.
Promotion Details
The sweepstakes, which began on May 19, encourages Americans to hit the road and stop at a Cracker Barrel for a chance to win a $500 Cracker Barrel gift card and a $500 gas gift card. Weekly drawings will be held until July 26, with 25 winners each receiving $1,000 in gift cards. In total, 250 winners will be selected during the promotion.
Sarah Moore, Chief Marketing Officer at Cracker Barrel, said in a press release: 'Road trips are synonymous with summer and our goal is to help our guests take the trip, see the country and make new memories.'
How to Enter
To participate, customers must be members of Cracker Barrel's free loyalty program. Entries can be earned by purchasing food and merchandise—one entry per adult entree, with additional entries for gift shop purchases. Bonus entries are available during select weeks, such as from June 29 to July 6, when buying 'American Heritage' merchandise or ordering an 'All-American' menu item yields extra entries. Alternatively, customers can enter for free by mailing a hand-printed postcard with 'Fuel Your Summer Road Trip Sweepstakes' and the specific weekly drawing.
Context of Rising Costs
The promotion comes as Americans face high gas prices, which have surged amid the Iran war that began in late February. While the national average for a gallon of gas has dropped 12 cents from last week, it remains at $4.42, according to AAA. On the first day of the war, gas was $2.98 per gallon. Food prices have also increased, with groceries rising 0.7% in April and restaurant food up 0.2%, per the Consumer Price Index.
Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy, who faced criticism for promoting a corporate-sponsored road trip reality show featuring his family, praised the initiative on social media, calling it 'a GREAT way to encourage Americans to see this beautiful country and spend quality time with their family.'
Return to Roots
Cracker Barrel appears to be refocusing on its heritage after a controversial logo change last summer that led to a $94 million loss in a single day. The rebrand, criticized by MAGA supporters as 'woke' and 'boring,' was quickly reversed. CEO Julie Felss Masino stated the change was purely for readability from the road, not ideological. The chain now aims to help customers 'make those plans feel a little easier – both at the table and at the pump,' Moore added.
