Old-fashioned restaurant and retail operator Cracker Barrel Old (Nasdaq:CBRL) posted fiscal first quarter results on Nov. 21, 2011, that further demonstrated it is struggling to grow its underlying store base. This anemic performance has attracted the interest in an activist shareholder who has ambitions to improve company returns. Prospective shareholders may be better off watching the developments between management and the activist on the sidelines and investing in restaurant concepts with more appealing growth potential, over the long haul.

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