Cracker Barrel Old Country Store Inc.

Cracker Barrel Old Country Store was founded in 1969 by Dan Evins, who saw the nation’s interstate system expanding, and figured travelers would like a familiar place to stop along the way. The first store opened in Lebanon, Tenn., as a restaurant with home-style dishes and made-from-scratch cornbread. The company went public in 1981.

In 2019, Cracker Barrel acquired Maple Street Biscuit Co. Cracker Barrel had also taken a minority stake in the eatertainment concept Punch Bowl Social, but when the pandemic hit, Cracker Barrel said it would not continue to invest in the brand. The family-dining chain also experimented with a fast-casual variation called Holler & Dash, but the company later converted those units to Maple Street Biscuit.

In early 2021, Cracker Barrel said it would test a virtual chicken and biscuit brand out of a ghost kitchen in Indianapolis, which also will be dedicated to large catering orders and delivery.

Key Data: Cracker Barrel

Headquarters: Lebanon, Tenn.

Segment: Full Service

Restaurant segment: FSR Midscale

Number of U.S. locations: 660

2020 Sales: $2.2 billion

Annual Growth:

Source: Datassential Firefly 500

CEO: Sandra Cochran

Parent: Cracker Barrel Old Country Store Inc.