Cracker Barrel led the segment with an Overall Score of 68.0, edging out 2015 category winner First Watch by more than two percentage points.

Cracker Barrel’s Overall Score was driven by segment-leading scores for Service, Reputation and Atmosphere. It also had strong scores for Menu Variety and Food Quality. Overall Scores are based on an average of scores on a variety of attributes weighted by the importance that diners in that segment put on each attribute.

Cracker Barrel looks to treat guests like family and serve as the customers’ “home away from home.”

Cracker Barrel’s Overall Score propelled it to the No. 22 spot among all 173 brands in the survey.

Among the 16 Family-Dining chains, the brand received the highest scores on three out of 10 attributes: Service, Reputation and Atmosphere. Attribute scores reflect the percentage of respondents who said a chain was "outstanding" or "above average" in that area.

The for-sale rockers on the front porch and the retail section of Cracker Barrel units boost the brand’s atmosphere points.

A music program and fund-raising for military families are two of the ways Cracker Barrel maintains and enhances its reputation.

Cracker Barrel’s two highest attribute scores were 73.6 percent for Reputation and 72.4 percent for Food Quality. Its next highest scores were for Menu Variety and Service, respectively.

Cracker Barrel employs a “clean as you go” model for staff as well as hires nighttime maintenance during closed hours.

The brand’s two lowest scores were 53.8 for Value and 58.0 for Likely to Return, which put it seventh and sixth in those areas, respectively, among the 16 Family-Dining players.

Cracker Barrel has 635 family-dining locations in 42 states.