9 Restaurant Secrets About Cracker Barrel

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3 days ago

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With locations in almost each of the 50 states, those in America looking for a comforting, homey dining experience know Cracker Barrel has been a top spot ever since it was founded in 1969. And in the decades that it has been open, it has become characterized by its rustic aesthetic, nostalgic gift shop, all-day breakfast, and other Southern-inspired flair. However, there's more than meets the eye when it comes to this old country store.
True fans of the chain would know that Cracker Barrel comes with a whole lot of history and personality, ranging all the way from how it got its nostalgic name to the present-day controversies it has since become a part of. But these miscellaneous factoids tend to get overshadowed by Cracker Barrel's more current front-facing qualities and offerings, such as its coveted Pure Natural Pancake Syrup and the peg games sitting on each joint's tables. These largely unknown facts come together, though, to give Cracker Barrel the charm -- or lack thereof -- it's often associated with having.
Read more: 8 Dishes To Avoid Ordering At Cracker Barrel Based On Reviews
Early Locations Had Gas Stations
In today's day and age, there are plenty of gas station chains known for having the best food, whether it's Wawa with its hoagies or Casey's General Store and its Breakfast Pizza. So while names like these are no doubt widely familiar, it may surprise you to learn that the restaurant-focused Cracker Barrel once sold gas, too.
Dan Evins, the establishment's founder, opened the first location in Tennessee as a triple threat; it was a gas station, restaurant, and gift shop. The latter two concepts have clearly stuck around over the decades, and while the provision of gas hasn't, it made sense at the time, considering Evins had worked in his family's oil business prior to then. But along with the mid-1970s came the oil embargo, which had consequences like a surge in oil prices and shortages in available fuel. Cracker Barrel adjusted in response, leading us to solely the food and retail experience customers are given today.
A Large Chunk Of Its Customers Are Travelers
According to the Cracker Barrel website, founder Dan Evins created the establishment keeping in mind that "folks traveling on the big, new interstate might appreciate a clean, comfortable, relaxed place to stop in for a good meal and some shopping that would offer up unique gifts and self-indulgences." In an effort to provide that, most Cracker Barrel locations were (and still are) placed along highways, offering a quick and convenient stopover for people looking to refuel in more ways than one.
Even now, over 50 years since the first Cracker Barrel started up, the restaurant and store still accomplish Evins' goal. It might not sell gas anymore, but it still offers a welcoming accommodation for those driving by. In fact, 40% of Cracker Barrel's customers are travelers. Such a large portion of the chain's patrons coming from off the road is especially easy to picture when you learn that there are over 1,600 billboard advertisements of the restaurant scattered across the country, which is likely what alerts drivers to the fact that they're near a Cracker Barrel location in the first place and reels them in to take an exit.
The Decor Is Handpicked By A Team
What better way for Cracker Barrel to make its traveling customers feel right at home than with its country-themed, nostalgic aesthetic? The inviting, cozy environment isn't just a result of the eatery's lit fireplace and moody lighting, though. It's in big part thanks to a circle of people who purposefully handpick each piece of decor that you'll find hanging on the walls and sitting on the mantles of the restaurants.
It was from the chain's birth that the Singleton family, consisting of Don, Kathleen, and eventually their son, Larry, was responsible for hunting around for worthwhile American artifacts from auctions and flea markets to be used at Cracker Barrel. But once Larry retired in 2019, the position was taken up by someone who had worked alongside him for decades. This team of designers has collected and been sent so much memorabilia through the years that they had to move it all into a warehouse in Tennessee for safekeeping, where there are now over 100,000 pieces of memorabilia. It's from this impressive stash of items, which includes vintage signs, posters, instruments, and so much more, that decor is sent out to Cracker Barrel locations. Each store itself has at least 800 artifacts, many of which are specially selected to align with the interests of the region it'll be housed in.
The Gift Store Generates A Considerable Amount Of Cracker Barrel's Revenue
Cracker Barrel manages to sell an absurd number of certain menu items every year. For perspective, consider that it serves somewhere around 230 million customers annually. According to the establishment's website, it gives out 210 million biscuits, 75 million pancakes, and 162 million eggs along the way. So naturally, you can imagine a whopping portion of Cracker Barrel's revenue comes directly from its restaurant.
But still, it can't be discounted that about 20% of the chain's earnings comes from the success of its stores. The history behind Cracker Barrel's iconic gift shop would tell you that a number of fascinating items have been sold there over the years, many of which have become extremely popular and are purchased frequently. For example, each year, well over 10 million thin sticks are sold. These hard candies, which are a bit over 5 inches in length, come in appealing flavors like peach, root beer, passion fruit, and many more. Women's apparel is also successful over at Cracker Barrel, with almost four million pieces selling every year. And last but not least, the chain sells 70,000 rocking chairs annually. That number is both surprising yet not surprising at all, considering the restaurant's front porch is always lined with these comfy, inviting seats.
Cracker Barrel Partners With Musicians
If you've ever sat in for a meal at Cracker Barrel, you're likely already aware of the type of music it tends to play. And if you haven't, you can head on over to Spotify where you can find the "Official Cracker Barrel Playlist" shared by the chain itself. It reflects the same vibe of country-rooted, bluegrass, Christian tunes you'd bop to when having an in-person experience at the restaurant. And if you pay close enough attention, the playlist will also cue you in on some of the artists Cracker Barrel has once partnered up with.
Customers who haven't taken a deep dive through Cracker Barrel's Instagram page or perused through the gift shop might not have even known at all that Cracker Barrel teams up with singers and bands. But it happens somewhat regularly that the chain will join forces with artists to produce music or create limited-edition merchandise. Some musicians who have worked with Cracker Barrel include Carrie Underwood, Reba McEntire, Kelly Clarkson, and Tauren Wells.
One of the most notable partnerships, however, would be with Dolly Parton and Pentatonix, who joined forces for a marketing promotion with Cracker Barrel to sing a rendition of Parton's hit song "Jolene" together. Well, it just so happened to win a Grammy in 2017 for Best Country Duo/Group Performance.
There's A Secret Milkshake
Unlike chains such as Starbucks and Burger King, both of which have a long list of innovative order hacks fans love to make use of, Cracker Barrel's secret menu is practically nonexistent. From its Chicken n' Dumplins to its Old Timer's Breakfast, what you see is pretty much what you get when it comes to the joint's permanent menu. That is, except for one unlisted item, which is a humble milkshake.
As simple as it is, Cracker Barrel's secret milkshake is a welcome addition to the store's limited dessert offerings that consist of only a few other options. The milkshake isn't officially listed on the menu alongside them, but you can ask your server if it can be whipped up for you. It's likely that your request can be accommodated, especially considering the beverage only contains a few ingredients thrown together, including vanilla ice cream and chocolate shavings.
Foreign Objects Have Been Served More Than Once
From fan favorites like Country Fried Steak and Momma's Pancake Breakfast to the discontinued Cracker Barrel items that left us way too soon, the country-themed chain houses a number of popular orders. But there are also several dishes to avoid ordering based on reviews, and that list only continues to grow when the establishment accidentally serves foreign items within them. The worst people usually expect to find in their orders is a piece of hair, and while that actually has been reported to happen in at least one Cracker Barrel location, far worse has been found as well.
One of the most infamous instances was when the chain temporarily put a halt to serving burgers in 2007 after a customer in South Carolina bit into the patty and found just about the worst item that could've been discovered -- a razor. In another life-threatening incident seven years later, a man in Tennessee was served a glass of water mixed with Eco-San, a type of bleach used to clean surfaces. As expected, the side effects that followed weren't so pretty, leaving the customer to experience a series of serious issues like diarrhea and frequent cramping. He was given a whopping (though understandable) $9.4 million as a result in 2022.
Some less severe -- though no less significant -- episodes have happened as well, particularly related to the restaurant's eggs. A woman in Des Moines noticed a twist tie in her scrambled eggs, and similarly, rapper Kodak Black found a staple in his.
Cracker Barrel Has Been Accused Of Discrimination Numerous Times
It turns out foreign objects in people's orders aren't the only scandals Cracker Barrel has been accused of. Through the years, the establishment has gotten caught up in its fair share of controversies, with one spanning back all the way to 1991 when the eatery enacted a policy stating any workers who didn't "demonstrate normal heterosexual values" would be fired. Cracker Barrel stayed true to its word and let go of several employees, triggering a series of protests.
About a decade later, in 2004, Cracker Barrel was sued for a handful of racist practices toward African Americans, including seating them later than customers who arrived after them, putting them into a different section of the restaurant, and workers refusing them service. The establishment was fined $8.7 million in the settlement and was called upon to change the way it operates. However, it was as recently as 2022 that some Cracker Barrel employees were said to again discriminate against customers, allegedly using the term "Canadians" as a code word when referring to African Americans.
Even children have been targeted by the chain. In December of 2024, a group of elementary-level students with disabilities was brought into a Cracker Barrel as a way to further practice social interactions. But that effort was thwarted when they were turned away and forced to get takeout instead. The employees responsible were fired, though the damage was already done. These are sadly a few instances in which Cracker Barrel has received backlash, with the chain also getting into sexual harassment lawsuits and once declining a job applicant because they were deaf.
Cracker Barrel Owns Maple Street Biscuit Company
Cracker Barrel evidently has a lot of secrets, but its old-timey, vintage feel isn't one of them. As such, the long-standing chain's customer base is mostly comprised of older adults who are 65 years old and above. In an attempt to connect with and reel in younger customers, Cracker Barrel made the move to acquire Maple Street Biscuit Company in 2019.
Maple Street Biscuit Company is a relatively young chain that was established in 2012 in Jacksonville, Florida. It has now reached states like Texas, Virginia, Georgia, and Tennessee, among many more, adding up to almost 70 locations in the United States. Well-loved for its signature biscuit sandwiches and loaded bowls, the franchise has become known for its variety of from-scratch Southern comfort food. Sound familiar? So it adds up that Cracker Barrel would team up with Maple Street Biscuit Company, citing their shared value of hospitality as a driving factor for the acquisition.
Read the original article on Chowhound.