Your thoughts on Cracker Barrel Restaurant?

[Obamarama]

Until this weekend, I've avoided them since their anti-gay flap back in 1991, despite that they've changed their tune and now have a anti-discrimination policy that includes sexual orientation.

I was visiting my mother this weekend and for the first time dined at the Cracker Barrel for lunch yesterday. I began to steel myself as we walked through the parking lot and I noticed that a preponderence of the vehicles were SUVs with American flag stickers on them. "Yea, I have no fear though I walk through the valley of Republican owned gas guzzlers," I silently muttered to myself as we neared the door....

After making our way through a store of country-bumpkin knick-knacks and apple-pie scented candles, we were finally seated.

I tried to keep an open mind. I looked around and noticed there were a lot of African Americans there. The reason I noticed is because the city in which we were eating doesn't have a sizable black population, so the number of blacks in the restaurant surprised me. It seemed out of proportion for some reason. The only real significance I attached to this fact is that if it were really a red-neck establishment chances are just about any minority wouldn't feel welcome there. I was heartened to see that at least African Americans felt welcomed in what I was sure was a red-neck, intolerant, white Republican kind of establishment.

The next thing that caught my attention is that the the majority of the waitresses were probably in their late thirties to mid forties. The service was pretty good. These days I usually expect some waitperson under 20 years old who has never experieced good service themselves to take my order. These wait people were well-trained. friendly and most of all, COMPETENT.

Finally, the food arrived. I ordered a salad and again was pleasantly surprised. It was their BLT salad and I have to admit, it was pretty good. It beat any other $6.95 salad I've had in a long time.

I don't see it ever becoming my favorite restaurant. I'm not a big fan of chain restaurants and resort to them only occasionally for convenience. But the next time I do, I might just hunt down a Cracker Barrel.

So what do you think of Cracker Barrel?

[solinvictus]

1. Love them

We eat breakfast at one locally (Chattanooga, TN). I enjoy looking over all the old signage and advertisements decorating the place. Typically, Cracker Barrel is first rate Southern cooking at a good price.

[are_we_united_yet]

2. food wasn't half bad

service was OK. Wasn't memorable but it got the job done.

[RoeBear]

3. What about their anti-gay flapjacks?

Hadn't heard about those before.

[Obamarama]

9. "Normal heterosexual values..."

From the net:

Cracker Barrel drew national attention in 1991 when it instituted a company policy that called for terminating employees "whose sexual preferences fail to demonstrate normal heterosexual values which have been the foundation of families in our society." At least 11 workers were fired as a result. The company’s blatant discrimination – which was legal in the states where it occurred and remains legal under federal law -- touched off a wave protests and boycotts at Cracker Barrel restaurants.

Cracker Barrel later revoked the policy, which it once described as a "well- intentioned overreaction to the perceived values of our customers," but until now, had not expressly protected gay employees from workplace discrimination. In fact, the company recommended that shareholders vote against the sexual orientation resolution again this year. The measure would have garnered about 58 percent of the vote, according to numbers provided to HRC by a company official.

FULL TEXT AT:
http://www.pridedepot.com/features/news/Cracker%20Barrel.htm

[trotsky]

4. Food is generally very good.

I love their fried okra and chicken & dumplings. Yum yum.

And it's one of the few places you can get sweetened iced tea here up north.

About the only thing I don't like is that their smoking section isn't well separated from the rest of the seating area, so the smoke can drift somewhat. Pee-yew.

But other than that, a great place to eat.

[lotteandollie]

5. Good Restaurant

Consistently good food, good service I like them.

[phaseolus]

6. concurring opinion

Good food, one of the better chains. I eat there sometimes when I'm traveling, I like their ham. Much preferable to Bob Evans or Country Kitchen IMO.

Right now my major addictions when I'm on the road are Indian restaurants and Steak 'n Shake.

[Pithlet]

7. I didn't know they changed their policy

That's good. I won't have to feel so guilty next time I get dragged to one by my Republican family. I'm not all that excited about their food, but it isn't too bad.

[soothsayer]

12. i didn't know either

i've avoided it for that reason. willing to try now, at least.

But, hey, kzoodem---you've got OLGA'S, haven't you? Yummmmmm!

[Obamarama]

14. I can't bring myself to step foot in an Olga's Kitchen...

The last time I was in one was back in '97. An elderly woman two tables away very loudly projectile vomited all over the place and dropped dead of a heart attack. It scarred me for life on Olga's.

[Pithlet]

20. OMG

How awful. That would do it for me, too.

[MJG]

23. Same here.

I had thought they had defended their policy, but who knows. Maybe they finally realized that gay people are just folks like everyone else. Of course it is just as likely they drove their policy underground and didn't really change their spots. The latter is much harder to prove.

[liberalhistorian]

8. My son and I had lunch there on

Thanksgiving Day on the way to Toledo, and we LOVED it. There were a whole variety of diners, the food was fantastic, and the service was genuinely friendly and competent. Our waitress was a woman in her 50's who really seemed to enjoy being there, even on Thanksgiving, instead of faking it.

[AngryAmish]

10. I'm not a big fan

I love Southern food. But whenever I go my food seems cold. Maybe just bad luck for me.

Now, the Illinois Machine Shed is a real restaurant.

[phaseolus]

13. Ooooo! Machine Shed!

You're right, they are better. And they also have locations in Wisconsin and Iowa.

[SheilaT]

11. Unlike everyone else who's posted

I think there food is dreadful, so I haven't been back after trying it twice many years ago.

[Sentath]

24. The "cornbread" was so sweet

I ended up eating it as desert.

I suppose if they're a taste that you like then I can't argue with that. Thats part of what having taste and opinions is all about.

I dislike them in specific.

I dislike home meal replacement restaurants in general, but I dislike Cracker Barrel in specific.

[harrison]

15. Just another way for corporate America to displace something

unique to an American place: southern cooking. Run all the legitimate greasy food restaurants out of business. On top of that, they sell all this so-called "southern" junk, most of which is made by some slave in China.

[Carni]

16. I think they suck

Sorry, but I just don't like their food!

[Kathy in Cambridge]

17. Blech! Except for their biscuits

I love southern food but I've been to quite a few of them while traveling on business and the quality is inconsistent. Their biscuits are yummy when warm though...

[Obamarama]

18. You should know! You KNOW good food....

I'm a self-avowed food snob myself and the Cracker Barrel would never end up on my list of favorite places, but I do have to admit for a CHAIN, it seemed like one of the better ones and my previous image of it as a den of racism and homophobia was changed.

By the way, did you get your prof the Salt book by Mark Kurlansky??

[Lostmessage]

19. One meat and three sides

Sugary Ham with carrots, mashed potatoes and a salad. Good Eating!

[peacebuzzard]

21. Thoughts from an expert......

Like most other places, it is fast food...cooked on grills like Waffle House, so juices from this meat or that one mixes with the eggs or grilled sandwiches or pancakes.... The mashed potatoes, however, ARE fresh and yummy and real to boot. The rest are frozen, from packages from Lebanon TN. Carrots, potato casserole, turnip greens (I think from a can) and pintos from a can. The biscuits and cornbread are freshly made, but at times when it is slow perhaps sit too long in the ovens. Chicken pot pies are individually Pre-made. All fried foods are cooked in the same oil all day. Desserts are freshly made but the fruit cobbler fillings are from cans. Salads are freshly made; but as you and I and everyone should know...all fast foods are handled by many food prep people and wait staff and who knows where their hands have been!Bon appetite!

[Lostmessage]

25. Who knows where their hands have been?

Up their noses or they could have been scratching their butts but they have to wash them. :puke:

[Dees]

22. There's nothing country about these corporate giants.

After several visits years ago I decided their food was nothing special. Your typical frozen, out of can, out of a bag chain cuisine.
No thanks.

[Lostmessage]

27. To us Non Southerners

With Southern roots it's about as close to home as we can get it.

[GoddessOfGuinness]

26. I went to one. I won't go back.

The food was awful...reminded me of high school cafeteria lunches. As I recall, I was in the mood for something vegetarian, and there was nothing available except a tossed salad, and their vegetable sides were pretty greased up with butter or margarine.

[pmbryant]

28. 3 words: Delicious buttermilk pancakes

Don't know about the rest of their food because whenever I go there, which is a few times a year, I get the pancakes.

:thumbsup: :thumbsup:

--Peter

[DoNotRefill]

29. Never been in one.

No particular reason, except that I'm not a big fan of "rustic".

[Enraged_Ape]

30. Cracker Barrel? Oh, my God, I'm COMING...

Their food is just fantastic. I've never had a meal there that wasn't great. Their biscuits...oh, my god...smoky, buttermilky, just damned orgasmic. Their chicken and dumplings...AAAHHHH...I need a towel and a cigarette.

I love their little gift shops too. All kinds of offbeat merchandise you can't find anywhere else. Probably one of the last vendors of ant farms on the face of the earth.

[scarlet_owl]

31. I have never eaten at one because of their policies.

I'm glad to hear they have changed. Maybe I'll try it sometime.

[grasswire]

32. Some wiccan friends...

....I used to have on the Internet said the gift shops were a good place to find little cauldrons and things like that.

I've never eaten at a Cracker Barrel, but I adored a chain in Virginia called "Black Eyed Pea."

OMG. It was delicious. Mmmmmmmmm.

[BigDaddyLove]

33. Fairly good omlettes.......

but then again so do most places of their ilk.

I am however teriibly offended by the word 'cracker' in thier name. ;)

[Zomby Woof]

34. only ate there once

December 1978, in Clarksville, TN. I don't remember what I ate, but my granddad's brother was being a real twit with the waitress (who was African-American, since this angle seems somewhat relevant to the thread - and the service was great, hence him being a twit), and I bought a hand-carved wooden toy called a "Gee-Haw Whimmy Diddle", which I still have. I was 11 years old at the time if anyone is keeping score.

We have one here in town, but I have no compulsion to go. I grew up with great southern cooking, and can do a fair turn myself, so why go out and get the mass-produced stuff?

[CandyCrim21]

35. From an employees perspective.....

I've worked for them going on years in July while I've been attending school. I have to say that I really never get tired of the environment or the food. Okay, lets be honest, EVERYONE gets tired of there job sometimes, but overall, I really love it. The people are awesome, the company really IS good to work for. The PAR plan gives internal guests constant room for improvement and raises;), after your par 2, you can cross train into any area and begin a par process in that area too, and they have pretty good benefits as well including discount cards based on your par level and gift cards at christmas as well. Its a pretty cool company to work for. By the way PAR is Personal Achievment Responsability, kind of like the more you know the more money you'll make. LOL, thought I should say that since I've mentioned it a few times. It really is a good place to work.

[Piperay]

36. Never been to one

I don't think there are any in California, anyway I don't recall ever having seen any here. :shrug: