BJ's Restaurants vs Cracker Barrel

BJ's Restaurants and Cracker Barrel Old Country Store, Inc. This page compares their business models, financial performance, and market context in a neutral, accessible way. It explains how each company approaches growth, operations, and customer experience, without speculative claims. Educational content, not financial advice.

BJ's Restaurants and Cracker Barrel Old Country Store, Inc. This page compares their business models, financial performance, and market context in a neutral, accessible way. It explains how each compa...

Comparison Snapshot

Key Financial Metrics

BJRI

Metric

CBRL

$936.06M

Market Cap

$731.47M

-10.57%

Potential Profit

-10.33%

Hold

Analyst Rating

Hold

Investment Analysis

BJ's Restaurants

BJRI

Pros

BJ's Restaurants has maintained steady year-over-year sales growth, with a 1.4% increase in Q3 2025.
The company reported an 8.8% year-over-year rise in restaurant-level operating profit, indicating improved operational efficiency.
BJ's Restaurants has expanded its share buyback programme, authorising up to $80 million for repurchases in 2025.

Considerations

BJ's Restaurants missed Q3 2025 EPS and revenue forecasts, which has negatively impacted investor sentiment.
Same-store sales growth remains modest at 0.5%, suggesting limited momentum in core restaurant performance.
Net income for 2024 declined by over 15% compared to the prior year, reflecting ongoing profitability challenges.

Cracker Barrel

CBRL

Pros

Cracker Barrel has demonstrated strong comparable restaurant sales growth, with recent quarters showing increases above 2%.
The company maintains a resilient business model with a loyal customer base and a diversified menu offering.
Cracker Barrel has consistently generated robust restaurant-level operating profits, supporting cash flow stability.

Considerations

Cracker Barrel faces ongoing challenges from rising labour and food costs, which have pressured margins in recent quarters.
The company's growth is limited by a relatively mature store footprint, restricting opportunities for rapid expansion.
Cracker Barrel is exposed to macroeconomic headwinds, including consumer spending volatility and inflationary pressures.

About The Companies

BJ's Restaurants (BJRI)

BJ's Restaurants (ticker: BJRI) operates a chain of casual-dining restaurants in the US, known for its deep-dish pizzas, in-house breweries and a broad menu. With a market capitalisation of about $706.65M, it sits in the smaller-cap segment of the restaurant industry. Investors should note that BJ's revenue and margins are linked to consumer discretionary spending, same-store sales trends and operational efficiency, including labour and food costs. Growth levers include menu innovation, off-premise sales and loyalty or digital ordering improvements, while risks include competitive pressure, commodity inflation, wage costs and economic cyclicality. The company’s balance sheet, cash flow generation and lease obligations are important for assessing resilience. This summary is educational only and not personal advice — share prices can rise or fall and past performance is not a reliable guide to the future. Always check the latest company filings and seek regulated advice if you need personalised recommendations.

Cracker Barrel (CBRL)

Cracker Barrel Old Country Store, Inc. operates a well-known chain of combined restaurant and gift stores across the United States. With over 660 locations, the brand is famous for its distinctive rustic, 'old country store' theme, offering hearty, home-style American food. The menu is a key part of its identity, featuring breakfast, lunch, and dinner classics like pancakes, meatloaf, and chicken and dumplings. Alongside its full-service restaurant, each location includes a retail store selling a variety of items, from rocking chairs and apparel to gifts and packaged foods, which contributes significantly to its revenue. The company also operates the smaller Maple Street Biscuit Company chain. For potential investors, Cracker Barrel represents a unique hybrid model in the hospitality and retail sectors, with a strong, recognisable brand. As with any investment, its value can go down as well as up.

Which Baskets Do They Appear In?

Restaurant Buyouts (Apollo Interest) Drive Focus

Apollo Global's renewed bid for Papa John's highlights a growing trend of private equity interest in the restaurant industry. This theme focuses on other publicly traded restaurant chains that could be the next attractive takeover targets.

Published: October 15, 2025

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Which Baskets Do They Appear In?

Restaurant Buyouts (Apollo Interest) Drive Focus

Apollo Global's renewed bid for Papa John's highlights a growing trend of private equity interest in the restaurant industry. This theme focuses on other publicly traded restaurant chains that could be the next attractive takeover targets.

Published: October 15, 2025

Explore Basket

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Comparison Snapshot