True To Its Roots, Cracker Barrel Serves A Huge Number Of Travelers

There's no place like Cracker Barrel if you're looking for traditional Southern comfort food. Think about its staples like Southern fried chicken, country fried steak, and of course, the all-you-can-eat buttermilk biscuits.

Although the restaurant chain exudes an old-time, Southern country feel, it's not a place exclusive to locals. In fact, about 40% of the 230 million guests who visit Cracker Barrel each year are tourists and travelers.

This is in line with Cracker Barrel's roots, which can be traced back to the 1970s. That, mixed with the company's love for showing off that classic Southern charm and hospitality, has led to an influx of tourists today.

Of course, to really understand how Cracker Barrel became such a low-key tourist hotspot, you'll need to know a bit more about its history. We like to understand how Cracker Barrel came to be and why it's become a well-known eatery for travelers.

Although it might seem like Cracker Barrel was born out of someone's love for biscuits, it came about from the U.S.'s growing interstates in the late 1960s. During this time, interstate travel in the U.S. increased, making it easier for people to journey across the country.

At the same time, all that growth in the interstate meant an increasing need for weary travelers to stop, get a bite to eat, and rest for a bit. Although there were corner stores selling odds and ends and gas stations along the route, the quality wasn't great, and even when it was, it wasn't easy for travelers to find consistency across the nation.

That's when a man named Dave Evans came up with the idea to create Cracker Barrel, an old country store. There, people could pick up what they needed for their journey and grab some quality comfort food to fuel their trip.

According to Today, the store originated as a restaurant, gas station, and store, providing everything travelers needed along the interstate. Of course, the restaurant has since grown considerably. Still, some old traditions last, such as having guests pay for meals in the gift shop rather than in the restaurant itself.

Aside from its beginnings along the interstate, there are plenty of other little-known facts about the old country store. For one, when the restaurant was opened, it used all handwritten menus to add to the rustic feel. Compounding this, Cracker Barrel used brown paper bags as its paper.

Another interesting part of the chain's history dates back to its name. The Cracker Barrel website says the name comes from an old tradition of people sitting around a cracker barrel outside local country stores. There, they would share stories and create memories; the company wanted to evoke that same feeling in its stores.

Although Cracker Barrel has come a long way from being a country general store and pit stop along the interstate, it remains true to its roots in many ways. It still boasts a gift shop and convenience store at each location and still has that old, comforting, country feel from when it was first born. And most importantly, it continues to be a favorite stop for weary travelers making their way along the interstate.