A meme was making the rounds on Wednesday after an X user posted a mock-up of a Cracker Barrel Country Store where the East Wing of the White House used to be. Complete with rocking chairs, a country porch and a full parking lot, the image poked fun at the ongoing White House renovations.
Cracker Barrel didn’t miss the chance to join in, leaning into its own notorious remodel earlier this year, replying, “You probably don’t want us anywhere near a remodel.”
The Southern restaurant chain and country store recently sparked its own renovation controversy after unveiling a modern redesign that swapped out its classic “Old Country Store” look for a more modern style. Customers pushed back hard, wanting the store to maintain its country charm. After a few weeks, Cracker Barrel paused its remodel plans and turned back to its signature rustic charm aesthetic, as previously reported by the Deseret News.
The tongue-in-cheek response quickly went viral, earning the brand praise for its wit and self-awareness.
One user replied, “This jus won me back,” while another noted, “A+ self-awareness this is awesome.”
Someone else added, “and just like that I want to eat there again. Wow what a way to stage a comeback.”
Others used the post to bring attention to beloved menu items they hoped would return now that they are “on good terms again.”
The meme sparked a wave of spin-offs, with users swapping in other chain favorites as potential additions to the White House grounds — from Buc-ee’s to the fictional Satriale’s, each placed to the east of the White House.
The East Wing remodel controversy
While the internet had its fun, the real conversation centers around the East Wing remodel itself. The project, not funded by taxpayer dollars, is generating significant debate in American political discourse.
The updates, reportedly the most significant structural changes to the White House since President Harry S. Truman added the South Lawn balcony in 1948, are stirring debate online, as Deseret News previously reported.
The estimated cost is currently reported to be around $300 million, calling for a 90,000-square-foot ballroom addition to the East Wing, a space that could make that section larger than the main White House itself, as The Associated Press noted.
The Society of Architectural Historians claimed the East Wing renovations threatens the building’s historic character, urging a pause to consider broader impact on the “People’s House.”
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt stated that the renovations will “modernize” the wing and be “the people’s house” for many years to come, according to AP.