
1969 First Cracker Barrel Opened
Dan W. Evins opened the first Cracker Barrel Old Country Store on September 19, 1969, located on Highway 109 in Lebanon, TN. And yes, even then the corn bread was made from scratch.
Our history has always been rooted in the warm hospitality and homestyle cooking that makes every location special. See how we made Cracker Barrel your home away from home.
Dan W. Evins opened the first Cracker Barrel Old Country Store on September 19, 1969, located on Highway 109 in Lebanon, TN. And yes, even then the corn bread was made from scratch.
People seemed more than pleased with the cooking, and by 1977, Dan Evins and his investors (most of whom were local friends and associates) had opened 13 stores from Kentucky to Georgia.
As Cracker Barrel expanded, Dan Evins wanted to redesign the logo for his growing business. Bill Holley, a designer from a Nashville advertising agency, met Dan and sketched his first draft of the Cracker Barrel logo on a napkin. With their shared Tennessee roots, Bill knew just what Dan wanted.
Flush with praise and the growing loyalty of guests with a taste for homestyle cooking, the company’s expansion reached beyond the front porch and onto the stock exchange.
The company grew consistently through the 1980s and 1990s, attaining a $1 billion market value by 1992. In 1993, Cracker Barrel’s revenue was nearly twice that of any other family restaurant.
Between 1997 and 2000, the number of Cracker Barrels increased to more than 420 locations.
Cracker Barrel employees have always joined together to assist their coworkers in times of crisis. What started as simple acts of kindness evolved into Cracker Barrel Cares, an employee-funded non-profit organization formed to help Cracker Barrel employees in times of need.
Cracker Barrel began to deliver the taste of its authentic homestyle goods to supermarkets. Today, a variety of bacon, hams, deli meats, baking mixes and more are available at grocery stores under our CB Old Country Store® brand - all ready to take home. Learn more
Cracker Barrel brings its popular homestyle Southern cooking to the Golden State for the first time with its location in Victorville, California. After opening stores in the Las Vegas and Portland areas, Cracker Barrel has continued to expand West to bring our unique version of Southern hospitality and charm to Victorville and the state of California.
Maple Street Biscuit Company is a breakfast and lunch company focused on comfort food with a modern twist, gracious service, immaculately clean stores, and sustainable business. Maple Street is driven by a mission to help people, serve others, and be a part of the community. The company currently has over 35 open locations across seven states.
Founded in 1969, this year Cracker Barrel celebrates its 50th anniversary of bringing its mission of Pleasing People to life.