Cracker Barrel Old Country Store, Southern dining establishment in Hickory, US
Cracker Barrel Old Country Store is a dining restaurant featuring wooden furnishings, checkerboard floors, and rocking chairs on the porch that recreate the look of a historic country store. The space also includes a retail shop selling handcrafted items and rural-style products.
The business started in 1969 near Tennessee highways to serve travelers with familiar meals and shopping, reflecting the rise of roadside dining during that era. It later expanded into a chain with locations across many states.
The place reflects Southern traditions through its collection of old items and regional crafts displayed throughout the rooms, giving visitors a sense of how people lived in earlier times. Walking through the space, you notice how these objects create a lived-in feeling rather than a museum-like atmosphere.
The place serves breakfast items throughout the day with hours designed for highway travelers and convenient stops. The attached shop makes it easy to browse before or after eating.
Every table includes an old-fashioned wooden peg game where guests can solve small logic puzzles while waiting for their meals to arrive. This simple game has been a popular part of the visit for decades.
The community of curious travelers
AroundUs brings together thousands of curated places, local tips, and hidden gems, enriched daily by 60,000 contributors worldwide.
