Roll out the Barrel on VALUE ADD!

I fear I am getting old!

I’d always viewed the Cracker Barrel as my dad’s type of restaurant chain.  I saw it as the kind of place where you could get a “rib-sticken, down home” meal like meat loaf or pot roast.  It’s a restaurant concept where people stop as they traverse America or where you go when you want to step back into a simpler time – complete with wooden porches and rocking chairs.  But I must say, Cracker Barrel is making a very progressive and impressive move when it comes to customer experience.

The brand is trying something that I think is a stroke of customer experience genius! Cracker Barrel will soon be launching a pilot project at 24 restaurants across Tenessee where they will install Blink electric vehicle chargers.

The pilot is part of a broader program by Ecotality, the maker of the Blink chargers. Through the project, Ecotality will have the opportunity to increase product awareness and distribution.

Only time will tell if this idea supercharges business at Cracker Barrel but the brilliance comes from understanding their customer (40% of whom are travelers) and adding a no cost “value add.”

Electric care chargers at Cracker Barrel are not revolutionary but they do represent a small evolutionary step that may prove simpatico with their customer base and may attract new customers as well.

So what’s your electric car charger?  What’s that little something extra that fits your customer? (even if it isn’t core to your service or product delivery)  With whom might you partner? (like Cracker Barrel is doing with Ecotality)

Yeah, Cracker Barrel – now if only I could get a senior discount!