Cracker Barrel Old Country Store, Southern comfort food restaurant in Knoxville, United States.
Cracker Barrel Old Country Store is a restaurant and retail store in Knoxville, Tennessee, set up primarily to serve road travelers. The building has a wood-fronted facade with a covered porch, and inside, the dining area and a shop selling regional foods and handmade goods share the same space.
The chain opened its first location in 1969 in Tennessee, with the idea of giving highway drivers a place to stop, eat, and shop. Over the following decades it expanded across the country, with most locations placed near interstate exits to catch passing travelers.
The dining rooms are lined with old farm tools, enamel signs, and wooden objects that call to mind rural American life from decades past. Rocking chairs sit on the front porch, where guests often gather before or after a meal.
The Knoxville location sits close to a highway exit and is clearly signed, making it easy to spot from the road. There is a large parking lot designed to fit oversized vehicles like RVs and trucks.
The rocking chairs on the front porch are not just for sitting but are also for sale, so a guest can buy the exact chair they used while waiting. Many visitors do not realize they are shopping before they even walk through the front door.
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