Cracker Barrel Restaurants turn 50! Who doesn’t love a road trip that includes stopping for meals at Cracker Barrel Old Country Stores?
The familiar Cracker Barrel logo
Cracker Barrel celebrated 50 Years since opening its first location on September 19. It has quickly become known as America’s Home-Away-From-Home. This iconic destination is recognized for Southern homestyle cooking, warm hospitality, and unique retail offerings, and made its debut in the small town of Lebanon, Tennessee.
Cracker Barrel Restaurants turn 50!
In 1969, a Tennessee man named Dan Evins saw an unmet need. The Interstate was expanding and connecting people to new places. But people on the move couldn’t count on a consistent, quality place to stop along the way, stretch their legs, refuel and find a good meal at a fair price. Evins had a vision to build an old country store to meet their needs. He wanted to create a place that preserved the ingredients of country life to share with travelers on the road and families from nearby.
Before Evins knew it, the idea was much bigger than him. Built by hard work, a mission of pleasing people, strong values, and genuine hospitality, the cooks, servers, operators and Evins’ Uncle Herschel McCartney described as the “soul” of Cracker Barrel. This created more than a refreshing stop along one’s journey. They set an iconic American table for generations to come. Evins was passionate about recreating old country stores from his childhood while providing a place for friends and family to reconnect over a good meal.
Who hasn’t rocked in one of these?
Fittingly, he selected the name Cracker Barrel to pay homage to one of America’s original gathering places. Crackers were delivered to those old country stores in barrels, and people would congregate around them to discuss the news of the day. Those cracker barrels were the original water coolers! Today, Cracker Barrel has 660 locations in 45 states across the nation, welcoming guests home to a simpler time and place, where they are treated like family, with warmth and care. I don’t know about you, but The Traveling Locavores love a trip to Cracker Barrel for both reliable, wholesome country cooking and great gift items to browse through while waiting for our table. Most of the locations also have RV parking!
To highlight some of the people and stories that have made Cracker Barrel a home-away-from-home, the company is encouraging guests to celebrate its golden anniversary by sharing their own #CrackerBarrelMoment on social media throughout the remainder of the year.
My favorite breakfast at Cracker Barrel. Don’t you just love those apples?
“Cracker Barrel has been one of America’s beloved home-away-from homes for 50 years, serving as a familiar sign that greets travelers and local communities alike,” said Cracker Barrel President and Chief Executive Officer Sandra B. Cochran. “Our concept was built around a mission of Pleasing People, which is not just about setting a great meal in front of our guests, but serving them with warmth and kindness. What keeps people coming through our doors year after year is a sense of human connection and being treated like family.”
Cracker Barrel has celebrated several milestones along its 50-year journey. It became a publicly traded company in 1981. In 1993 it created the Cracker Barrel Old Country Store Foundation in to support charitable programs including those that lift up America’s military families. Cracker Barrel Cares was created in 2005, which is an employee-funded nonprofit organization that helps Cracker Barrel employees in times of need. Cracker Barrel launched the fast casual concept Holler and Dash in 2016. And most recently expanding to the West Coast in 2018. Through all of the changes they have stayed true to the brand’s roots of creating a unique experience filled with hospitality for every family in America.
Yummy Fried Chicken with all the fixings
During its 50th year, Cracker Barrel celebrated with guests in two big ways. In April, the company launched Southern Fried Chicken, making it one of the few casual-dining restaurants with national reach offering bone-in fried chicken to its guests. Beginning in July, Cracker Barrel has highlighted the contributions of women in country music by celebrating some of the industry’s most talented artists and shining a spotlight on the next generation through the “Five Decades, One Voice” program.
Here’s to the next 50 years. Happy Golden Anniversary Cracker Barrel!!!
