My family has a small tradition when we go on long road trips.

After days of cramped riding and gas station snacks, we pull into the nearest Cracker Barrel to sit down around a table together and eat like civilized people. It is one of my favorite parts of every vacation, so I am sure one could imagine the absolute devastation I felt upon seeing the plans to modernize the old country store.

The things that gave Cracker Barrel that nostalgic feel are the slightly-hazardous-appearing kerosene lamps and the suspiciously unsteady chair that Grandpa probably should have fixed. There is just a certain charm in knowing that no matter what state I am in, there is a place that looks and feels like Grandma’s kitchen. Country Living reports that customers were seeing leather seating, no more latticework and a slightly diminished antique presence with the new renovations. With that original warmth in danger, I was ready for the drastic measure of not returning.

I am obviously not the only customer who vowed never to darken the doors of a soulless, gray, modernized Cracker Barrel. According to CBS News, the company lost nearly $100 million in stock after announcing the logo change.

Luckily for all of us classic Cracker Barrel enjoyers, the company heard our pleas and reversed plans to modernize both its stores and its logo. So, why would they pull this stunt in the first place?

To answer that question, we need to go way back to 2006 — I know, but bear with me. McDonald’s launched an initiative called “Forever Young,” which planned to redirect its dining space away from childlike vibrance to cater to young adults. In other words, they used muted colors in an attempt to seem “hip” and “cool.”

If this is where it stopped, this would probably be a very different story. In May of 2006, BusinessWeek published an article detailing the plans for expensive remodels that catered to three separate “zones” to different types of customers. With comfy armchairs, colorful patterns and added Wi-Fi access, this was shaping up to turn the fast-food tycoon into a place to exist at any age.

Unfortunately, this remodel plan was so expensive that it basically went out of style before it had a chance to grow. The company then decided that a slick, futuristic design was more efficient and less trouble. Not to mention much cheaper to create.

Vox Culture’s article “Why McDonald’s looks sleek and boring now” talks about the modernization trend growing among chain restaurants. What began as one company’s plan for a breakthrough design turned into a wave of rectangular restaurants sweeping through the nation. It got Taco Bell, Pizza Hut and nearly Cracker Barrel.

I do not mean to scare you, but no one is safe from this plague of cut corners and modernization. Not our beloved Mississippi State University campus, and not even the historic Perry Food Hall. Pay-per-plate food stations, a Starbucks you can run through and those plaques on the wall that are supposed to adequately replace the flags are some of the new features that give Perry Food Hall a look that screams convenience.

The disappearance of the café environment that Starbucks’ former Colvard Student Union location offered is another tragic loss to modernization. Gone are the days of curling up in an armchair with your warm latte and a trashy novel when you want to unwind. While the Perry Food Hall area offers some comfortable seating, the open concept gives the feeling of a food court instead of a cafe. This is not necessarily bad, but it does remove that quiet environment from campus. The only café substitute on campus is under the fluorescent lights of the Arepas bullpen.

All of this raises the question, why spend the money to erase these spaces where people can feel at home?

As with McDonald’s original Forever Young statement, many companies claim they are simply trying to cater more to young adults. But if we are the new “young adults” and we continue to shout at the tops of our lungs how much we hate it, who are they really trying to please?

One thing that cannot be denied is the convenience and opportunity for profit that these kinds of changes bring. If customers do not have to stop and linger in your store, then they can quickly leave and create room for the next round of paying customers. Modern renovations often include digital kiosks, which Shake Shack CEO Randy Garutti says can increase sales by up to 10% more than a person at the register. For companies like McDonald’s, convenience and affordability can become their only selling point.

It can be hard not to draw a connection between the physical appearance of the stores and the attitude that the companies have toward their customers. If they care more about profit than creating an enjoyable experience, then what does that say about how much they care? It seems more and more like that soulless gray exterior is a reflection of corporate greed.

So what does that say about our own university?