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Our Mission is Pleasing People®, which we’ve done since we first opened our doors in 1969.
We're known for providing a friendly home away from home atmosphere in our old country store and restaurant, and there's good reason for that. Whether you’re greeting guests in Knoxville, cooking eggs in Columbus, or training "Rising Stars" in Lebanon - every employee plays a part.
Each day, more than 70,000 Cracker Barrel employees come to work and bring our mission of "Pleasing People" to life. We commit to our employees, as they commit to our guests, to ensure they have the support needed to excel in their careers. Whether it's our world-class training program or our career development opportunities, we’re devoted to making sure all of our colleagues have an opportunity to grow and thrive at Cracker Barrel.
Cracker Barrel is very proud of its PAR (Personal Achievement Responsibility) program available to all hourly employees. Maybe you have noticed the gold stars on the aprons of our employees. There are four PAR levels for each skill position and each star represents a PAR level that the employee has achieved. Each level teaches elements that are critical to an employee’s development and understanding of the Cracker Barrel culture. In addition to introducing skill sets necessary for a particular position, PAR training focuses on teamwork, relationship building and partnership.
The program was launched to help our hourly colleagues learn new skills and gain greater confidence in their work. Development leads to pay increases and greater benefits, and provides the opportunity to work in other skill positions or obtain greater responsibility as a Shift Lead or Skill Trainer - all the while being recognized for achievements along the way.
Uncle Herschel was Cracker Barrel founder Dan Evins’ real uncle, the younger brother of Dan’s mother. He helped shape not only Cracker Barrel’s image, but also its values. He was our own “goodwill ambassador” to the public.
Uncle Herschel had a wealth of knowledge about what rural America’s old country stores were really like. He was a salesman for Martha White Flour Company for 32 years, traveling the rural south to call on many a town’s general stores. Like many Cracker Barrel Old Country Store® locations today, the community general stores were more than just a place to purchase goods. They were a gathering place for folks to take the time out from the chore-filled day to visit with a neighbor or two, exchange pleasantries, or just talk about the weather. Herschel’s workdays were often spent traveling to these old country stores that were complete with cracker barrels, checker boards, and rockers on the front porches. He was quite a storyteller himself and became a familiar and friendly face among the locals in many southern communities.
After his retirement, Herschel, known for his genuine sincerity, came to Cracker Barrel and brought the long-standing tradition of being a good neighbor to each and every Cracker Barrel Old Country Store® location. He spent most of his working life bringing forth the important message of what makes a business successful: that people should be treated just as we would have them treat us.
And he did just that.