Cracker Barrel

Cracker Barrel opened its first location on September 19, 1969, in Lebanon, Tennessee. Founder Dan W. Evins, then a Shell Oil representative, wanted to create a place where highway travelers could get a good meal and pick up a few things at the same time. Early stores actually had gas pumps out front. Evins deliberately chose sites near interstate exits in the Southeast and Midwest to catch motorists on long drives. The company phased out fuel sales in the late 1970s when oil shortages hit.

The name comes from old country stores where crackers were stored in big barrels and folks would gather around them to swap news. Every Cracker Barrel still tries to capture that feeling: a front porch with wooden rocking chairs, a stone fireplace, and walls covered with locally themed knick-knacks and artifacts. The menu focuses on Southern classics like chicken and dumplings, country fried steak, biscuits and gravy, and hashbrown casserole. All 660 or so locations are company-owned; the chain has never franchised.

Cracker Barrel went public in 1981, trading on Nasdaq under CBRL. By 1992 the company had a $1 billion market value. In May 2024, the company hired the San Francisco agency Prophet to refresh the brand, aiming to attract younger customers. The resulting redesign scrapped the iconic barrel and Uncle Herschel character for a flat yellow wordmark. Loyal customers erupted in protest. Petitions gathered thousands of signatures, and President Trump called on the chain to admit a mistake. By early 2025, Cracker Barrel had parted ways with Prophet, eliminated the chief restaurant and retail officer role, and brought back former VP of menu strategy Thomas Yun. The old logo quietly returned. Some analysts estimate the failed rebrand cost around $100 million in lost market value. [edit]