Cracker Barrel Old Country Store, Inc., (NASDAQ: CBRL) is an American chain of combined restaurant and gift stores with a Southern country theme. The company was founded by Dan Evins in 1969; its first store was in Lebanon, Tennessee, which remains the company headquarters. The chain's stores were at first positioned near highway exits in the Southeastern and Midwestern US, but it expanded across the country during the 1990s and 2000s. As of November 22, 2011 (2011 -11-22), the chain operates 608 stores in 42 states.
Cracker Barrel's menu is based on traditional Southern cuisine, with appearance and decor designed to resemble an old-fashioned general store. Each restaurant features a front porch lined with wooden rocking chairs, a stone fireplace, and artifacts from the local area. The chain has won numerous industry awards for its distinctive outdoor advertising along US interstates. Cracker Barrel is known for its partnerships with country music artists, and has received attention for its charitable activities, such as its assistance of victims of Hurricane Katrina and injured war veterans.
During the 1990s, the company was the subject of controversy for its official stance against gay and lesbian employees and for discriminatory practices against African American and female employees. The company's treatment of minority customers was also criticized; patrons complained of racially segregated seating and service quality. Following an agreement with the US Department of Justice and the implementation of non-discrimination policies, the company has focused on improving minority representation and civic involvement, particularly in the black community. Company shareholders added sexual orientation to the company's non-discrimination policy in 2002.
Famous quotes containing the word barrel:
“I was born a mechanic, and made a barrel before I was ten years old. The cooper told my father, “Fanny made that barrel, and has done it quicker and better than any boy I have had after six months’ training.” My father looked at it and said, “What a pity that you were not born a boy so that you could be good for something. Run into the house, child, and go to knitting.””
—Frances D. Gage (1808–1884)