Cracker Barrel has been a road trip staple for more than 50 years, but its story begins with one man’s problem—and a very creative solution.
In 1969, Dan Evins was working as a wholesaler for Shell when he noticed that America’s new interstate system was changing the way people traveled. Small service stations were losing customers who no longer passed through town. To keep business alive, Evins dreamed up something new: a restaurant and store designed to feel like the traditional country stores he remembered from his childhood.
The first Cracker Barrel opened on September 19, 1969, just off Interstate 40 in Lebanon, Tennessee. Early locations even had gas pumps, though those were phased out during the fuel shortages of the 1970s.
The name itself has roots in Southern history. In the early 1900s, barrels of soda crackers were common in small-town stores, and folks would gather around them to talk and catch up—much like today’s office water cooler. Since 1977, Cracker Barrel’s logo has featured “Uncle Herschel,” an old-timer character inspired by Evins’ real-life uncle, Herschel McCartney.
Every Cracker Barrel is designed to transport visitors to a bygone era. The front porch lined with wooden rocking chairs (about 70,000 are sold each year!) sets the scene before you even step inside. Each dining room is filled with authentic antiques—on average, 1,000 artifacts per location—ranging from vintage cookstoves and shotguns to telephones and traffic lights. And don’t forget the wooden peg solitaire game at every table, a tradition as iconic as the biscuits.
This decorating tradition began with Don and Kathleen Singleton, antique store owners in Lebanon, who helped with the first location. Their son, Larry, continued the work until his retirement in 2019. Today, Cracker Barrel stores more than 90,000 carefully cataloged antiques in a Tennessee warehouse, ready to be restored and placed in new restaurants.
Cracker Barrel has built a loyal fan base—especially among travelers. Perhaps no one embodies this better than Ray and Wilma Yoder, a couple who spent four decades visiting every single Cracker Barrel location. By 2017, they had traveled over 5 million miles to dine at 644 restaurants. When the 645th Cracker Barrel opened in Tualatin, Oregon—on Ray’s 81st birthday—the company flew them out to celebrate in style with rocking chairs and custom aprons.
The company has also made a surprising mark on the music world. Cracker Barrel has collaborated with artists like Dolly Parton, helping to release exclusive albums. In fact, Dolly herself gifted the company its first certified Gold record in 2012 for An Evening with Dolly. Later, their 2017 collaboration with Dolly and Pentatonix on Jolene even earned a Grammy Award—making Cracker Barrel not just a restaurant chain, but a Grammy winner.
What started as one roadside restaurant in Tennessee has grown into 658 locations across 45 states. With its mix of comfort food, nostalgic atmosphere, and authentic Southern charm, Cracker Barrel continues to be a place where people gather—just like they did around those cracker barrels more than a century ago.