Cracker Barrel Visit goes Sour

Check out the experiece that this blogger had at a Cracker Barrel in Pigeon Forge. Not all Cracker Barrel news is good news, but by sharing when a Cracker Barrel misses the mark, maybe we can help improve the dining experiece for the guest. The post is titled How not to Get a Good Tip, visit this LINK to see how just a few basic mistakes that any server that has served anytime at all should know not to make can mess up the guest experience.
http://blueridgemountainboy.blogspot.com/2010/12/how-not-to-get-good-tip.html

Cracker Barrel Going Electric

Evidently Cracker Barrel believes there could be a great demand for EV charging stations or there could be other motives behind this move. Maybe Cracker Barrel is just way out in front of the rest of the nation. Only time will tell. Personally, I would like to see free WIFI, so I could connect to the internet when I I am travelling.

in reference to: Tennessee Cracker Barrel Restaurants to Become EV Charging Stations | Transportation Nation (view on Google Sidewiki)

Textbroker

For aspiring freelance writers or for those who just want to make a few dollars on the side, textbroker is a good entry level writing site. They are reliable, they pay, and provide a steady stream of writing jobs.

in reference to: Unique content - Textbroker.com (view on Google Sidewiki)

Things Looking Up for Cracker Barrel

Things appear to be looking up for Cracker Barrel Old Country Store. Perhaps what looks good for Cracker Barrel is good for the overall economy. With Cracker Barrel serving a good cross-section of main-stream America. maybe it is a sign that the U.S. economy is on the rebound.

in reference to: Cracker Barrel Beats - Zacks.com (view on Google Sidewiki)

Enraged About Educational Entitlements

While I admire the spunk of these students, I have to question if one has the right to be upset over the loss of entitlements. Where do people get the idea that the government owes them anything?
Entitlements are nice for those receiving them, but someone has to pay for the entitlements. If a society can afford to dole out these benefits, so be it, but if not, then there is nothing wrong with people paying their own way through innovation hard work.

in reference to: Demonstrators Attack Police Van as U.K. Students Protest Over College Fees - Bloomberg (view on Google Sidewiki)

Sometimes We Need To Lighten Up

Sometimes we are so caught up in being holy, or apperaing yo be holy that we forget that we are human. i have to confess, I have sooooooo guilty of this. so I am speaking from experience as one who had a holier than thu attitude, which tries to creep back in at times.

in reference to:

"Never show the depth of your life to anyone but God. We are so nauseatingly serious, so desperately interested in our own character and reputation, we refuse to behave like Christians in the shallow concerns of life. Make a determination to take no one seriously except God. You may find that the first person you must be the most critical with, as being the greatest fraud you have ever known, is yourself."
- My Utmost for His Highest by Oswald Chambers (view on Google Sidewiki)

Homeless Guest

It is important not to show respect of persons when dealing with people. Here is a link to a story that I have written that is based on some of my experiences as a waiter at Cracker Barrel Old Country Store. The story is titled the Homeless Guest, please visit and read and let me know what you think.

Cracker Barrel Doing the Leadership Shuffle

It appears that Cracker Barrel is doing pretty good these days, making changes in leadership to get ready for explosive growth. Considering the state of the economy lately, that speaks well of the Cracker Barrel corporation and the leadership team. I can say from the grass roots level, Cracker Barrel is continuely trying to improve upon the guest experience, although I do not always agree with their methods, at least they are making an effort.

in reference to: Cracker Barrel announces management shift | tennessean.com | The Tennessean (view on Google Sidewiki)

R&B Legend at Cracker Barrel

Smokey Robinson digs into some Cracker Barrel Old Country cooking.

in reference to: Smokey Robinson Stops at Lebanon Cracker Barrel for Good Country Cookin' | Cracker Barrel Music (view on Google Sidewiki)

An Interesting Ending

11 Alive news posted an article reporting the end of the court case dealing with an altercation outside of a Cracker Barrel in Jonesboro, Ga. An interesting end to the case, or have we heard the end of it? Only time will tell.

in reference to: Cracker Barrel Case: Accuser Accused, Prosecutor Gives Up, Defendant Cops Plea - 11Alive.com | WXIA | Atlanta, GA (view on Google Sidewiki)

Cracker Barrel Raises Dividend

Cracker Barrel continues to show strength despite a weak economy, now raising their quarterly dividend 2 cents on the share to 22 cents per share. This dividend will be paid to share holders on November 5th who have been on record as shareholders as of October 15th. I used to own shares of Cracker Barrel but sold when the stock was in the 20 something a share range.

in reference to: Cracker Barrel bumps up quarterly dividend 10 pct - BusinessWeek (view on Google Sidewiki)

Who is Guilty of Discrimination Here

It would be interesting to know who is at fault here. I do not want to believe that Cracker Barrel has acted unethically in this case, I have always found the Home Office to be fair and helpful towards me. On the other hand, I know how people can be, being a waiter myself and working with hosts and hostesses, things can happen. If the boyfriend and girlfriend team of hostess and server were deliberately seating black patrons in other sections, I believe they should be terminated.
in reference to: Fired Jacksonville waitresses file federal lawsuit against Cracker Barrel | jacksonville.com (view on Google Sidewiki)

Cracker Barrel Store # 9

We recently stopped at store # 9 near Sweetwater, Tennessee on our way to vacation. It was a wonderful dining experience all the way from start to finish. I would like to give kudos to Paul Hall, an associate manager who made us feel at home and valued as a guest. He was out on the floor checking on guest, making sure that the everybody was well taken care of. Even though our food really didn't take too long, but he was at our table reassuring us that it was coming right out. In my opinion, he was doing an awesome job as manager, by the way he done his job I assumed he was the GM, I was surprised that he was only an associate, hopefully he will be promoted fast. Anyways, hats off to Paul Hall and all the staff at store # 9.

Government Financing Cracker Barrel?

Not really, follow link to see how Cracker Barrel is providing new jobs. With unemployment pushing the double digits, it is good to see any kind of new jobs coming open.

in reference to: Ask Us: How can federal money be spent to finance a Cracker Barrel | al.com (view on Google Sidewiki)

Look What The Competion is Doing

It seems that Cracker Barre'ls competition is resorting to giving away food to bring in the guests. Cracker Barrel is not giving away food, but is still offering tasty, quality food at hard to beat prices.

in reference to: Chili's Free Chips & Queso! (view on Google Sidewiki)

Good Ole Uncle Herschel

Seeing this article on the late Uncle Herschel, rest his soul, I had to post this link on my blog. Uncle Herschel is to me the Cracker Barrel Icon. To me he embodies what I want to believe is the original vision for Cracker Barrel Old Country Store, good ole southern, country hospitality serrved with a smile.

in reference to: Uncle Herschel finally gets his Way - Decaturdaily.com (view on Google Sidewiki)

Change Buys van

Who says that pocket change isn't worth much. This is amazing story of a man buying a van with loose change, don't despise that jingle-jangle in your pocket, it may lead to something big.

in reference to: Chinese man buys £9500 Nissan van with loose change | Motoring News | Honest John (view on Google Sidewiki)

Cracker Barrel Number One Breakfast

Cracker Barrel is on top of its game. Being voted numer one breakfast in a Zagat 2010 consumer survey. It is good to see the CEO of Cracker Barrel giving recognition to Cracker Barrel's employees. I have renewed confidence in the leadership of Cracker Barrel, and being a long term employee am glad to see that we have a competant captain at the helm of the ship.

in reference to: Cracker Barrel Breakfast “Best” in 2010 Zagat Consumer Survey: Business Wire Business News - MSN Money (view on Google Sidewiki)

New Promo

I got to sample new promo that Cracker Barrel will soon be rolling out. An apple, bacon, grilled chicken salad. It is delicious, also the apple parfait, delicious as well. On another note, to the best of my knowledge, our eggs at 425 are salmonella free.

Recipes

10 Food Processor Recipes You'll Love by Rodger Haroar



Sometimes it seems like cooking is just too difficult to do on a daily basis, but food processors take a lot of the hassle out. If you don"��t have a food processor, I highly recommend that you get one. In fact, go out and buy one right now! I use my food processor everyday, keeping it on my kitchen counter for fast use. Why? Because I have so many great recipes! Here is my top 10 favorite food processor recipes guaranteed to make you love your food processor.



1. You can make your own peanut butter or any other nut butter that you like in your processor. Cashews make wonderful nut butter too.



2. Speaking of peanut butter, peanut butter cookies are the easiest recipe in the world: 1 cup sugar, 1 egg, 1 cup peanut butter, and a teaspoon of vanilla if desired. Toss them into your processor; give it a whirl for a few seconds until well mixed. Scoop out a tablespoon of dough and scrap it on the side of the bowl to even the spoon, drop onto a cookie sheet and smash it down with a fork to make the cross hatch design. Bake at 350 degrees for 7 to 9 minutes and you have fabulous, gluten free peanut butter cookies.



3. Make steak sandwiches by chilling, but not freezing, leftover steak in the freezer until firm but not frozen. Slice with your processor and then add to a skillet in which you have been sautéing bell peppers and onions. Put it all on a sandwich bun, top with jack cheese, and enjoy. I know, who has leftover steak? Plan for this and throw an extra steak or two on the grill next time.



4. Specialty butters are definitely a favorite of mine. In fact, I get ideas from many restaurants, constantly seeking new flavors to spread across bread. Armed with my food processor, making specialty butter has never been so easy. My favorite is basil-garlic butter. By processing a stick of butter with a couple cloves of garlic, I can then add some crushed basil leaves and let it sit in the fridge for a week or so in an air-tight container. Then, it"��s French bread and wine for dinner. Sometimes I even use it on grilled cheese with mozzarella, sliced tomatoes, and bacon. So delicious!



5. For fresh lemon sherbet, mix equal amounts sugar, milk, and half-and-half with freshly grated lemon rind and some lemon juice. Then pour into a pan and freeze it, covering it for at least two hours. After frozen, use your food processor to blend it until smooth. Four hours in the freezer later, you have a wonderful dessert to go with anything you can cook up!



6. Another great idea is to take blackberries and sugar, blending them with your food processor until they"��re smooth. Then, pour the mixture through a strainer into a pan and stir in some buttermilk. When frozen, break into chucks and beat with an electric mixer until smooth again, and then pour it back into a pan and cover it until firm. This is a great way to make a cold, berry concoction that the whole family will love, especially on hot summer days. And you can substitute blueberries or raspberries as well!



7. I am a huge fan of chocolate, and my food processor allows me to take melted chocolate chips, some tofu, salt, 3 egg whites, half a cup of sugar, and a quarter cup of water and turn it into a light, chocolaty masterpiece. My chocolate mousse is a favorite amongst all of my friends, and can be topped with either grated chocolate, whipped topping, or both!



8. My 14 cup processor will hold an 18.5 ounce cake mix. I can have the cake ready to bake in less time than it takes me to haul my big mixer out and find the correct beater.



9. I always use my processor to make pie dough. I even chill the bowl and blade in the freezer to help keep my dough chilled and flaky.



10. One of my favorite uses for a food processor is making soup when I"��ve had a hard day. Some chopped onion, garlic, milk, a bit of flour, chicken broth, broccoli, cheese, and pepper can be easily put together to make an excellent meal. After sautéing the onions and garlic, add all ingredients except milk and flour and cheese, cooking over medium heat for 10 minutes. Afterward, combine with milk and flour and cook an additional 5 minutes, then let cool while adding cheese until it melts. Place in a food processor, and you have smooth, creamy broccoli-cheese soup that can relieve any stress-filled day.



Don"��t those recipes sound wonderful? Well, they are, and the food processor makes everything so much easier. If you don"��t have one, you need to go get one right away. In fact, soon you"��ll have your own list of top 10 recipes to share with all of your friends.



Rodger Haroar, after working as a chef in a commercial kitchen for years, he is no stranger to Hobart parts. Hobart parts or Biro meat saw parts, he knows the best place for replacements is National Band Saw. He can get the commercial restaurant equipment parts and also the replacement parts for his personal food processor. Now that"��s handy.



Article Source: ArticleSnatch Free Article Directory

Going green

Should van drivers be encouraged to go green. Check out this writers view and decide for youself. It seems as if the UK is at the forefront of the green movement. Maybe Al Gore should try running for Prme Minister in the UK, his green views might be taken more seriously by UK voters than those in the US.

in reference to: Should Van Drivers be Urged to “Go Green”? - Job and Employment - Jobs and Employment News (view on Google Sidewiki)

More Country Music at Cracker Barrel

The retail side of Cracker Barrel old Country Store continues to feature a great selection of music. The half-srore side of the Lebanon based restaurant chain is releasing country star Rodney Atkins next album on September 6th. It appears that Cracker Barrel will be the only place where Atkins new album will be availabe. As an employee of Cracker Barrel, sometimes I question some of their ways, at other times I believe that they are marketing genious'. Anyways, hats off to the Cracker Barrel retail department once again.

in reference to:

"restaurant"
- CRACKER BARREL PRESENTS RODNEY ATKINS (Rodeo Attitude News) (view on Google Sidewiki)

A Talk with General Manger

Yesterday, I had a nice chat with the general manager of our store that gave me a new appreciation of him as a our general manger. The chat was in reference to a complaint I had made about having my hours cut. I should have taken it up with him first, but instead I went straight to the home office. John ( my GM) was very gracious and didn't fuss me out about going over his head as some may have done, but gently asked why I didn't come to him first. I explained that I was a little uncomfortable about approaching him due to my perception of how he might react. He was very understanding and I was able to share what was on my mind, and he listened intently and let me know that if I had any problems that I should always feel free to approach him and share what is on my mind. The issue with my hours was resolved, and John handled the situation in a very professional and courteous way, a good example for all mangers to follow in the company. So kudos, to John Rotundi of Cracker Barrel Store 425.

I would also like to encourage fellow employees, if you have a problem, take it up with a manager, give them the opportunity to help you out. Do not be like me and let a misconception about a how a manger might react keep you from sharing any issue that you might have, you might be pleasantly surprised abut how they listen and address the issue.

Law of the Garbage Truck

>


I received this from a former co-worker Bill Jones, a great guy, one I hated to lose. I felt this is worth sharing.
 Law of the Garbage Truck

 One day I hopped in a taxi and we took off for the airport.
 We were driving in the right lane when suddenly a black car jumped out of a parking space right in front of us.
 My taxi driver slammed on his brakes, skidded, and missed the other car by just inches! The driver of the other car whipped his head around and started yelling at us.
 My taxi driver just smiled and waved at the guy. And I mean, he was really friendly.

 So I asked, 'Why did you just do that? This guy almost ruined your car and sent us to the hospital!'
 This is when my taxi driver taught me what I now call, 'The Law of the Garbage Truck.'
 He explained that many people are like garbage trucks. They run around full of garbage, full of frustration, full of anger, and full of disappointment.
 As their garbage piles up, they need a place to dump it and sometimes they'll dump it on you. Don't take it personally.
Just smile, wave, wish them well, and move on. Don't take their garbage and spread it to other people at work, at home, or on the streets.
 The bottom line is that successful people do not let garbage trucks take over their day.
 Life's too short to wake up in the morning with regrets,
 so ... Love the people who treat you right.

Pray for the ones who don't.
 Life is ten percent what you make it and ninety percent how you take it!

> Have a blessed, garbage-free day!

Should a Good Employee Lose Hours to Someone with Less Senority?

Is it a good management decision to cut the hours of a worker who is experienced, high-performing, and overall is a positive force for the company and give those hours to others? I don't think it is for a number of reasons.
1. I feel it is unethical. To take a loyal employees hours and give them away to others with less time with the company is no way to treat your long-term employees. it is no way to reward somebody for 15 years of service.
2. Compromises performance of the company. In the case of a sports team, you keep your best players on the field. As long as they perform,you keep them playing, you don't take them off the field to make room for others; this is a win-win situation for the team and for the player as well. By taking your one of your best workers off the serving floor, a manger could compromise the level of service that the guest receives. This goes against Cracker Barrels core principles.
3. Lowers morale. If a senior employee, who gives exemplary performance gets their hours cut, who's hours are safe. If after 15 years a worker loses hours, what can other workers expect who put in long years with Cracker Barrel. This lowers the morale of the one who has their hours cut and can affect the morale of others as well.
4. Can discourage long time workers from staying with the company. Instead of continually bringing in new hires, why not treat long term employees in such a way that will keep them at the store. Mangers need to acknowledge and show the long term workers that they are a valuable asset to the company, not an expendable resource.
5.Can cause resentment towards new hires and management. When people come into the company, it should be a welcome site, but cutting hours to make room for new hires can cause new hires to be viewed with contempt. Instead of thinking, great here is some needed help, workers might thing, oh great, here is someone to take more of my hours.
 This is just my opinion, but I feel that I have made some valid points. As a training store moving forward, Store 425 needs to focus on boosting morale and also on building the business. Cutting the hours of quality workers who offer years of service to the company is not accomplishing either.

On Attitude

In my line of work, I encounter many people who have a rotten attitude. It seems that nothing pleases them and they appear to be angry with the world in general. Now, I have to be fair, working at Cracker Barrel is no walk in the park, there are situations that I face daily that tempt me and sometimes do put me in a bad state of mind and heart; sometimes I am the one with the bad attitude. But from my experience, if I will just try to do my job, and not let my circumstances cause me to have a bad attitude I usually have a pretty good day. I believe much of life is just doing the best with the hand that we have been dealt in life, and to do the best we have to maintain a proper attitude. For example, on a slow work day, a lot of servers walk around complaining about how slow it is, which accomplishes nothing. On the other hand, if on a slow day they would use the slow time to focus on giving extra good service to the guests that are there, it could help in building the business. One server, a trainer no doubt, asked me why I was working so fast. She reasoned that because the business was slow, I should be working slow. Not so, no matter if there is a dining room full of guests or just one patron, we should do our utmost to provide the most efficient, best dining experience possible. Having an attitude of providing the best service, whether we are busy or slow is the attitude that will keep Cracker Barrel on top in the years to come.

New Cracker Barrel Menu Item?

I got this in an e-mail, I thought it might be something that Cracker Barrel may want to place on the menu.
Bacon Cheese Turtle burger


Just in time for this the BBQ season.

Mmmmmmm bacon...............this is a heart attack waiting to happen.

Handmade ground beef patties, topped with sharp cheddar cheese,

wrapped in a bacon weave.then the next step, add hotdogs as the heads, legs and tail. Next step?

Place on an oven rack, covered loosely with foil and baked for 20-30 minutes at

400 degrees. A little crispy, not too crunchy...just how a turtle

should be, no?

Can you imagine this .. omg

Cracker Barrel Job Application

Sunday, August 8, 2010

Cracker Barrel Job Appilcation
I found a nice post about a getting a job at Cracker Barrel. Very positive, very uplifting, and true for the most part. Cracker Barrel in principle does try to make employees feel valued, but sometimes in practice at the store level it does not always happen that way. Don't get me wrong, I have had managers and district managers make me feel like my hard work and skill are much appreciated, on the other hand I have had mangers that made me feel undervalued at times. I say this for any mangers who read this blog, if you have a quality employee, treat them right, let them know you appreciate them. There will always be an abundance of people you can hire, but good workers who can perform well, they are a rare breed.

Nantahala River

The beautiful Nantahala river in the evening. My wife took this picture on our way back from the Great Smokey Mountains.

15 Years with Cracker Barrel

Wednesday marked my 15 year anniversary with Cracker Barrel Old Country Store. It has been an interesting journey to say the least. I started with Cracker Barrel when I was a young man of 31 as a part time waiter, since October of 2000 I have been working full time. When I started I had never had a job as a waiter, and the manager was apprehensive about letting me wait on tables, suggesting that I try being a host. But at my insistence, he relented and allowed me to give waiting on tables a try; now fifteen years down the road I make a decent living waiting tables, making more money on the hour than I would ever have expected. As a whole, the Cracker Barrel company is a good company to work for, although I have worked under managers who's decisions and judgements are not what I would deem the wisest. I would love to be able to provide a training course for managers from a grass-roots employee level, to share with up and coming managers some of the experience and wisdom that I have garnered over the years. In fact, I would like to talk with the movers and shakers in Lebanon and share some ideas that I believe could take Cracker Barrel up to the next level. Of course, I am just dreaming, it seems that the thoughts and opinions of those in the lower echelon of a corporation are not considered as valuable as those with degrees, or who have always worked in higher positions. I still believe that the person who can describe the landscape the best are the ones who are the closest and who have their feet on the ground, not those flying overhead with only an aerial view. But what do I know, I am just a lowly waiter living off tips. Anyhow, I am thankful for Cracker Barrel allowing me to work for them and the wonderful benefits that they have provided for me and my family.

Copykat recipes and Cracker Barrel

As I surf the web checking out my blogs page rank, I notice that there are a lot of recipe blogs under Cracker Barrel. I have never clicked on them but I imagine people are giving out Cracker Barrel recipes or copykat recipes. My reply to this is, don't settle for some sort of generic Cracker Barrel dish, but come on out to the Cracker Barrel Old Country Store and have some real Cracker Barrel food. Our food is some of the tastiest that you will find in the dining industry, it is also priced very reasonably for the quality and the quantity that you receive. So next time you see a Cracker Barrel copykat recipe, don't click on it, but shut down your computer, load up the family and get yourself on down to the Cracker Barrel Old Country Store for some down home country cooking.

Companies increasing their dividends

Investors who are making dividend plays may find this article interesting as in it features companies that are increasing their dividends. In a slow economy, companies that are raising their dividends are well worth investigating further.

in reference to: 9 Important Dividend Increases | InvestorPlace (view on Google Sidewiki)

Another Cracker Barrel Location

It is good to see that some companies are still expanding in a slow economy. Cracker Barrel Old Country Store has showed amazing resiliency in the current economic environment.
in reference to: Cracker Barrel deal is nearly complete - Decaturdaily.com (view on Google Sidewiki)

Don't Judge a Book by its Cover

As I have stated in previous posts I a make my living as a waiter at Cracker Barrel Old Country Store. This week I have been reminded of the old addage that "you can't judge a book by its cover." In waiting tables it tempting to profile customers and assume that a guest will leave a good tip or a bad tip based on how they look, how they act, etc... Cracker Barrel requires that we treat all guest the same, which is a good rule to follow for life in general. Over the past two days at work, the best tips that I recieved were by people that some servers may have thought that by the appearence and actions of the guests would be poor tippers. If a server would have given poor service or been less attentive to theses guests, it would not only have been morally wrong, and against Cracker Barrel policy, but they could have missed out on a real nice tip. Fortunate for me, I was able to wait on theses wonderful, generous guests who more than compensated me for my service. The moral is, do not judge people by their natural appearence and treat all people the way that you want to be treated, for not only is it the right thing to do, but you never know how you will be rewarded for doing so.

Monday Morning Coming Up at the Cracker Barrel

Tomorrow will start another week for me at the Cracker Barrel Old Country Store. Last week was a good week, I waited on some wonderful people who said that they were going to start requesting me every time they came in to eat. One of them even called the Home Office and commented on the service they received. It just shows that if you work hard, and treat people right, somewhere down the line it will be noticed. I believe that this one of the guiding principles that has got Cracker Barrel where they are at today, by working hard at treating people right, Cracker Barrel has gotten recognition by countless loyal guests who come through their doors each day. Notice I said guests, not customers, if they ever cease to be our guests and become just our customers or just another sale, I think that could be the beginning of our end.

Nothing New for Cracker Barrel

Offering holiday products early is nothing new for Cracker Barrel Old Country Store's gift shop. It seems that they have already been doing this for a few years, maybe longer. I always make a joke about all the Halloween merchandise, I say " It is shame to commercialize a good pagen holiday like Halloween." Occasionally people will get the joke and laugh, and sometimes I get no response. Anyways, Cracker Barrel's gift shop is on top of things by getting the holiday merchandise out early.
in reference to: Some stores offering holiday items early » Knoxville News Sentinel (view on Google Sidewiki)

Earn Rewards at Cracker Barrel Old Country Store

For those who frequent the Cracker Barrel Old Country Store on a regular basis, Cracker Barrel has a rewards program for you. The Cracker Barrel Front Porch Friends program is a program that offers rewards to guests who visit the Cracker barrel often. For more details and to find locations that offer this program, visit frontporchfriends.crackerbarrel.com site. Just one more added extra to make Cracker Barrel your choice for the best in good country cooking.

Nice forum post

I noticed this nice forum post about Cracker Barrel's low carb breakfast, which is an excellent low carb option. Here is the link to the forum post. If you ever wondered about Cracker Barrel's low carb breakfast, this post gives a good description. Check it out and then come in the Cracker Barrel and let your taste buds try it out.

Cracker Barrel CEO: Success comes from ignoring discount mania - Nashville Business Journal

Cracker Barrel CEO: Success comes from ignoring discount mania - Nashville Business Journal

Cracker Barrel Old Country Store Recieves Top Scores

News Releases




CRACKER BARREL RECEIVES TOP RATINGS IN NATIONAL

INDEPENDENT CONSUMER STUDY



LEBANON, TENN (July 20, 2010) – Cracker Barrel Old Country Store has received top scores in a new study conducted by a major independent research company. The Consumer Brand Metrics Program study, conducted by Technomic, Inc., shows that consumers rate Cracker Barrel at the top of the list among ten full-service restaurants in the casual and family dining categories. Cracker Barrel was rated the best in these categories: Overall Attributes and Attitudes, Appearance and Ambiance, and Convenience and Takeout.



Technomic conducted the Consumer Brand Metrics Program study to measure consumer sentiment regarding the top ten full service and ten limited service concepts. The concepts were selected based on sales. A nationally representative sample of over 4,000 consumers participated, and each chain was rated by 300 respondents (concept list and methodology explanation below). In commenting on Cracker Barrel’s strong showing, Ron Paul, President & CEO of Technomic Inc., said, “Cracker Barrel is to be congratulated on such a high level of performance.”



Cracker Barrel received top billing on a number of key attributes: food and beverage quality, quality of the kid’s menu, being treated as a valued individual, delivering food the way consumers wanted it, delivering good value through prices, service and ambiance, and a pleasant experience overall.



“We’re very pleased that Cracker Barrel received such outstanding results, specifically in regard to food quality, hospitality, and value,” said Cracker Barrel President and CEO Michael A. Woodhouse. “This is independent confirmation that our efforts to continually meet our guests’ expectations are effective in providing our guests with the Cracker Barrel experience they have come to expect.” Woodhouse continued, “We have been mindful of staying true to the values and offerings that have made Cracker Barrel into such a popular brand over the years, and we will continue to offer the same quality and hospitality that make a visit to Cracker Barrel so special for so many people.” Woodhouse attributed this success to the company’s 65 thousand employees in saying, “Cracker Barrel has an exceptional group of employees, many of whom have made long-term careers with the company. This kind of experience is what allows us to provide our guests with genuine hospitality and service.”



Methodology:

The Consumer Brand Metrics Program study was independently conducted by Technomic, Inc., as an on-line survey among a nationally representative sample of over 4,000 adults who had visited at least one of the 20 included restaurants in the past month. Each respondent was asked to rate up to 2 restaurants they had visited in the past month on a random basis. Ratings were obtained on 50 attributes covering 5 key areas: Food and Beverage, Service and Hospitality, Unit Appearance and Ambiance, Convenience and Takeout, and Overall Attributes and Attitudes. Each chain was rated by 300 respondents. Interviewing was conducted from March 5 –12, 2010 and results became available in May 2010.



In this syndicated study, Cracker Barrel Old Country Store performed best among the Full Service restaurant chains. It received the highest rating on 31 of the 50 attributes and was rated above the average for Full Service restaurants on all but four attributes. In total, Cracker Barrel generated the strongest ratings in three of the five categories and received above average ratings in all five categories.



Concepts included in the study:



Full Service

Limited Service



Applebee’s

McDonald’s



Chili’s Grill & Bar

Subway



Olive Garden

Burger King



Red Lobster

Starbucks



Outback Steakhouse

Wendy’s



IHOP

Taco Bell



Denny’s

Pizza Hut



T.G.I. Friday’s

Dunkin’ Donuts



Cracker Barrel Old Country Store

KFC



Ruby Tuesday

Sonic Drive-Ins









About Cracker Barrel

Cracker Barrel Old Country Store® provides a friendly home-away-from-home in its old country stores and restaurants. Guests are cared for like family while relaxing and enjoying real home-style food and shopping that’s surprisingly unique, genuinely fun and reminiscent of America’s country heritage…all at a fair price. The restaurant serves up delicious, home-style country food such as meatloaf and homemade chicken n’ dumplins as well as its signature biscuits using an old family recipe. The authentic old country retail store is fun to shop and offers unique gifts and self-indulgences.



Cracker Barrel Old Country Store, Inc. (Nasdaq: CBRL) was established in 1969 in Lebanon, Tenn. and operates 594 company-owned locations in 41 states. Every Cracker Barrel unit is open seven days a week with hours Sunday through Thursday, 6 a.m. – 10 p.m., and Friday and Saturday, 6 a.m. - 11 p.m. For more information, visit: crackerbarrel.com.



Media contact

Julie Davis

(615) 443-9266

jdavis@crackerbarrel.com

Donya Gardner at Cracker Barrel Old Country Store

Here is a link to a story of two ladies who have the same name getting together at the Cracker Barrel.

Interesting Evenening at my Restauraunt Location in Canton, Ga

Last night I paid a visit to my Cracker Barrel Store location in Canton, Ga. It was an interesting evening to say the least. Prior to arriving at the Cracker Barrel, I had attended a meeting where I was recognized and referred to as "the man from the Cracker Barrel":, I guess that is what I should expect since I have worked at the same Cracker Barrel location for the past nine years, anyways , I guess that was my moment of fame. Upon leaving the gathering where we were recognized as "the man from the Cracker Barrel", we went to the Cracker Barrel location where I work and was seated at the big round table where we had our meal. Here is where it became interesting, sitting at the table across from us was a man with long blonde hair who looked like a rock and roll star. On a whim I asked the man if he was part of the Christian rock band Stryper that enjoyed fame in the eighties as a Christian Hair band, spandex and all. The man said that he was not, but that he use to work with the same record label and was familiar with many professional contemporary Christian artists and was an artist as well. He talked with me for a while, gave me one of his business cards,and even let me use his reading glasses to read his card. He then went outside and brought back a one of their CD recordings and gave it to me as a gift. He was super nice guy, and the CD was nice too, this man really can rock. One of the more notable things that he had done was to play John Lennon in the Broadway production of Beatlemania. The man's name was Caspar McCloud and and he really has an amazing story to tell, I didn't know how amazing until I visited his website. If you visit his web location, check out Caspars Miracle, it is an amazing story. The moral of this post is this, you never know who you may meet when you set out on a outing, it may be an amazing artist like Caspar McCloud with an inspirational message or it may be" that man from the Cracker Barrel". So if you get a chance come on by our Cracker Barrel Old Country Store location on Transit Avenue in canton, Ga. You never know who you might meet.

Win a free lunch at Cracker Barrel

Winning a free lunch at Cracker Barrel is the real prize here. I will take a free lunch at Cracker Barrel anyday, you can even let the country star stay home, I will take my wife instead. Even though I work for Cracker Barrel Old Country store, I really love the Cracker Barrel Menu, lots to choose from and in my opinion the Cracker Barrel menu prices are some of the best in the casual dining industry.

in reference to: Cracker Barrel & Craig Morgan Say “That’s Why!” You Can Win Lunch With Craig » Got Country? (view on Google Sidewiki)

The latest Cracker Barrel Music Offering

Cracker Barrel's retail side's latest offering in music. Cracker Barrel's retail side is showing once more that as the store side of the business that they can provide current, relevent products to to Cracker Barrel customers who shop in the gift shop prior and after their dining experience.

in reference to: Photo Friday: LBT, TBP, Craig Morgan : MusicRow (view on Google Sidewiki)

The Great Smokey Mountains in Winter

Deep Fried Pork Chops

For those who do not know it, Cracker Barrel offers boneless, deep fried pork chops on Monday nights, which happens to be one of my favorite dishes. The taste of these deep fried pork chops is out of this world, here is a
review on Savvyspot that tells more about this succulent entree.

Wendys in Blue Ridge, Ga.

Not to be disloyal  to my employer, but I slipped off to Wendys in Blue Ridge today, in fact as I write this post I am sitting in Wendys enjoying their WiFi access sipping on a diet coke. It was too noisy at the house and I had some work to do online, so I came in up here and at a chicken sandwich and a drink  off the Super value menu, not a bad snack for $2.12, plus I was able to get some work done in the air conditioned atmosphere of Wendys, listening to a great selection of the latest in elevator music. Well, maybe not the latest, but elevator music none the less. Maybe one day, Cracker Barrel will offer WiFi, that might not fit in with the Country Store motif, but it might bring in a little more traffic. Sooner or later, like the old REO Speedwagen song, Cracker Barrel is going to have to roll with the changes.

The Guests of Cracker Barrel

First off I would like to say that Cracker Barrel is a great company to work for, it is hard work but I believe they try to treat their workers fair and provide competitive benefits, but as a server, I believe it is our loyal guests that make Cracker Barrel Old Country Store such a great place to work. Cracker Barrel is a family restaurant, and being a family eating establishment, we attract the gentler, more civil customers. I have been at the Cracker Barrel in Canton, Ga for a little over nine years, and during that time I have become acquainted with some of the best people on the planet, sometimes I am blown away by the wonderful guests that come into our store.

Whether it be Pastor Hill, who pastors the Methodist Church, who loving reaches out to our customers with God's love or brother Larry, who use to play the steel guitar at the Grand Ole Opry, when it was at the Ry men Auditorium, Hershel and Betty Ann, who before they leave tell you how much they appreciate you and Betty leaves you with a "Love ya." All are very special people that make the days better at Cracker Barrel 425 in Canton, Ga.

This is just a sampling of the many wonderful guests that we have, maybe one day I will do a series of posts on our guests individually. But, to me, it is our guests that make our store such a great place to work. And if you want to really get down to the nitty-gritty, it is the guests that down through the years have made Cracker Barrel Old Country Store into one of, if not the best casual restaurant's in the country. Without the guests, we would have to close up shop and go home. So, I say kudos to our guests.

Another Monday at the Cracker Barrel

It is good to have made it through another day as the Cracker Barrel Old Country Store. It has been a most excellent day, low stress level, nice guests, food came out fast, and was able to close down at a decent hour. I was reminded of a very important lesson tonight, a lesson that is very easy to forget in our fast paced society. I don't want to bore anybody with a moral discourse, but I feel the need to share the lesson I was reminded of, so here it is: I was doing my job, waiting on tables tonight when one of my tables was seated with a young lady carrying a big thick book. I took the ladies order and got her food to her in a timely manner, everything seemed to be well. But, she was reading and eating at the same time, she ate so slow...  As a waiter or waitress, optimally you want to take care of your guests, get your tip, and help the guest to get on their merry little way and get a new guest on your table, that is how you make money, by waiting on multiple tables. It was the middle of supper, and this lady kept sitting, and sitting, and sitting, I was very nice to her and in no way rushed her, but in my mind I was thinking that she ought to hurry up so I could get a new guest on my table. After a couple of cups of coffee, she then had some tea and kept reading and sitting. In my mind I was getting a little antsy for her to go ahead and leave, but I tried not to show it and tried to give the best possible service I could. Well to make a long story short, later on she revealed that she had been a waitress herself, and asked to speak to my manger before she left. I was afraid that something may have been wrong with the food, but come to find out she just wanted to tell my manager what a good job I had done waiting on her. She left me a large tip, around seven dollars, more or less and a nice compliment to my manager, what more could you ask for in a guest.

The lesson I learned is this, always treat people right, regardless of who they are or what they might be doing. I could have gave this girl bad service, been rude, or ignored her because I thought she was sitting at my table too long, but instead I took the high road and tried my best to provide good, friendly service, which was just doing my job. By doing my job, I was rewarded, nicely rewarded I might add. So be careful how you treat people and make sure you treat them right, you might be pleasantly surprised at how rewarding it can be.

This is something that I have noticed about Cracker Barrel in my almost 15 years of service. For the most part, it seems that Cracker Barrel has tried to treat the guests right, in fact in some cases they have bent over backwards in their efforts to treat people right, and for that I say, hats off to Cracker Barrel Old Country store.

Monday Morning Coming Down

It will not be long until I make the journey to the Cracker Barrel Old Country Store in Canton, Georgia. It has been a good weekend, as one of my boys turned 14, so we had plenty of cake and good eats. We celebrated his birthday on Friday with a trip to the Blue Ridge Pizza Hut, which happens to be one of my favorite eateries. I have been visiting the Blue Ridge Pizza Hut since my early teen years, I am forty-seven now, so our relationship goes back along ways. I still enjoy the food, and service most of the time, however, sometimes I get frustrated by the way it is run. A good example is what happened a few weeks ago as we were at the Pizza Hut.

We were at the Pizza Hut on a Wednesday night, with a semi-large group. Most of us ordered salads, but the salad bar was in bad need of restocking. In fact, all my wife and sister-in-law ordered was all you can eat salad bars. The waitress seemed to all by herself on the floor with our party of sixteen and other guests as well. There was another lady who appeared to be a manager or a shift leader, or maybe neither who was providing some assistance to the waitress,who was extremely busy. But upon noticing that the salad bar was in bad need of replenishing, the lady who appeared to be a manger or shift leader or whatever she was instructed the waitress who was trying to take care of guests to restock the salad bar. I was appalled, here was a waitress trying to take care of multiple guests, now having to restock a salad bar with a party of sixteen all wanting salads.

My question is why didn't the manager, shift leader, or whatever she was restock the salad bar, or was there not anybody in the kitchen who could do it. Either the Pizza Hut was did not have an adequate staff that night, or for some reason it just wasn't happening like it should. In my opinion, you should do whatever it takes to provide the best possible dining experience for the guest. If that means a manager/shift leader/cook/ or whoever has to restock the salad bar so the waitress can provide that experience for the guest, then they should step up to the plate and make it happen.

As a server myself, I have to work very hard at my job, I expect everyone else including management to work hard as well.

Another Hot Saturday in Blue Ridge, Georgia

Even though I work at the Cracker Barrel Old Country Store, I make my residence in the beautiful mountains of Blue Ridge, Ga. It has been a hot day today, but a good one. I went to a cook out at my brothers house below me and had some of the best grilled pork chops that I have had in a while along with one my favorite foods, grilled out hot dogs.  I bought my fishing licence and me and the kids went to Blue Ridge Lake for a brief time this evening, not even one bite, but it was good to get out.

 On an unsettling note, I heard news that a house was broken into by some robbers who tied an elderly man up and shot him in the leg. I was told that the man was able to escape and that they thought that he would be okay. No word on the status of the robbers. We do not have much crime of that nature in Blue Ridge, Ga, and it is unsettling when we do. It makes us realize that our mountain paradise is not exempt from the evils of this wicked world.

Turkey and Dressing Day

It is getting late and I realize that it is already Thursday, the traditional Turkey and dressing day at the Cracker Barrel Old Country Store.

 I must lay down and get my rest,

So as I greet the guests I will be my best

So I can do my part with  the rest of the crew

Serving up that delicious  Cracker Barrel  food.

I could resist the opportunity for a little poem. I am a waiter by necessity, but my real passion is not restaurant work but writing, However, in another month I will celebrate 15 years with Cracker Barrel. A long time in this line of work, to my knowledge there are only three other workers at my store who have been with the company longer.

Waffle House Prices

I dined at Waffle House tonight, everything was fine until I looked at the bill. I was appalled, $14.00 for one person to eat. Here is what I had, a two pork chop meal, with two eggs scrambled with cheese and onions, hash browns with onions and tomatoes, one waffle, and a soft drink. Additionally, I had toast that came with the meal. I could have got everything and more, minus the waffle at the Cracker Barrel, and it would have been better quality food. I believe that I could have beat the price by two or three dollars at Cracker Barrel and got better food to boot, minus the Waffle of course. If I remember I will check the menus at work tomorrow and give more precise figures.

Independence day

Today is a most important part of our American history, this the day that is commonly known as the day that the founding fathers signed declaration of independence from the tyrannical rule of Great Britain. It is a day to celebrate the freedom that we enjoy in one of the greatest nations on the planet. May we never forget the ones who down through history have made the ultimate sacrifice to procure the freedom that we enjoy in America. Our freedom came with a price, may we never forget.

If you happen to visit Cracker Barrel over the fourth of July Holiday, in the Retail part of Cracker Barrel, ask about the wounded warrior project. Cracker Barrel will donate a portion of the proceeds from every Wounded Warrior Project product sold! This is a good way to honor those who have been injured in the line of duty while serving in our armed forces.The Wounded Warrior Project - New York City 2007

Silly bandz

In the Old Country Store portion of Cracker Barrel Old Country Store Silly Bandz are now available. The little multi-shaped, multi-colored rubber band bracelet have made their way into the Old Country Store. Kids are really crazy about these Silly Bandz, I know this because my nine-year old daughter has quite a collection of them herself. For those who prefer to buy Silly Online, Amazon has a good selection as well. Check out Silly bands at Amazon

Cracker Barrel Review

Check out this positive review of Cracker Barrel that has been posted on Savvy Spot.

Menu Prices

While it is true that Cracker Barrel Country Store offers a great product at an awesome value, Cracker Barrel is guilty of not letting John Q Public in on this fact. In a time when you can turn on the TV and see a number of restaurants advertising their specials, and deals that they are offering, where is Cracker Barrel at, nowhere to be seen. Cracker Barrel offers great deals all the time, with great menu prices for the quality of the food. Personally, I believe a good ad campaign would do more than pay for itself, getting customers in the door that will become repeat customers who will generate revenue for years down the road. I know that word of mouth advertising, billboards, occasional radio spots, and the Grand Ole Opry have maybe been sufficient according to Cracker Barrel Corporate Standards, but I believe with the right advertising, Cracker Barrel could go over the top. But, I am just a lowly waiter, what do I know.

Thursday at the Cracker Barrel

Another good day at the Cracker Barrel Old Country Store. The Turkey and Dressing looked extremely tasty today, I sold plenty of it, I also sold quite a bit of the Campfire Beef and the Campfire Chicken, two popular items. I also sold some of our Parfait Breakfest. Business was a little slow for some of the day, but also busy at times. All and all a good day at Cracker Barrel Old Country Store.

Back to Cracker Barrel Tomorow for Turkey Day

Back to Cracker Barrel Old Country Store tomorrow. Good day off today, I hope tomorrow goes well; it will be turkey and dressing all day long tomorrow, um I can't wait. Maybe I will get to hear more of Wynona Judd, as they play her new CD most days, throughout the store and the restaurant. Only one month to go till my 15 year anniversary Cracker Barrel Old Country Store, I hope I make it.

Visitor from Lebanon, Tennessee

Put in another long day at Cracker Barrel Old Country Store, I noticed that my blog page had a visitor from Lebanon, Tennessee. For those who do not know, Cracker Barrel's home office is located in Lebanon, and I believe I read somewhere that Cracker Barrel was had its beginning in Lebanon. Anyways I might ought to careful as to what I write about my employer, Cracker Barrel, they may be monitoring my blog from the home office. That is okay though, there is some things that I would like to share with them about ways to improve the way we do things. I may not have a college degree, but after 15 years with Cracker Barrel, I know little about what what works, and what doesn't.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      

Campfire Beef back on Cracker Barrel Menu

Campfire Beef is back on the menu at Cracker Barrel. The favorite of many has just returned, a savory piece of beef cooked with carrots, corn on the cob and new potatoes in aluminum foil. This is one of the tastiest entrees on the Cracker Barrel menu. Exactly how long Cracker Barrel will have this on the menu, I am not sure, so come in soon and have a helping of Campfire Beef, the latest,tasty offering on the Cracker Barrel menu.

Back to Cracker Barrel Tomorow

Tomorrow will start another work week for me at Cracker Barrel Old Country Store. After three days off it is not something that I look forward to. I am hoping and praying for a good day, waiting on tables for a living is truly a faith job, I have to have faith that God will provide for me. So far He has provided through the generosity of the guest that visit the Cracker Barrel, I believe that He will continue. For nearly ten years I have been waiting tables as a full time job, I ain't went hungry yet, yes God is faithful.

Ihop Versus Cracker Barrel

Working in the restaurant business myself, I sometimes enjoy visiting different eating establishments than the one I work at. I find myself being the food critic and making comparisons between the one I am visiting and the one I work at. Last night we paid a late night visit to the International House of Pancakes, in Ellijay, Georgia.

Upon arriving at the ihop location we were greeted and seated by a server named Michael, who was very friendly and took great care of us throughout the evening. Michael took our drink order and we placed our food order, that came out in a modest amount of time and was absolutely correct, a big plus for any restaurant.

I had the spinach/mushroom omelet with a side of hash browns, a side of turkey bacon (I don't recommend ordering it) and blueberry pancakes. The omelet was scrumptious as was the pancakes, the hash browns were cooked just right, but hash browns will be hash browns, all and all a wonderful meal and dining experience.

In comparison I have to say that the food quality of the International House of Pancakes is as good as my employer, Cracker Barrel. The portions were ample size and service was great. Cracker Barrel probably has an edge over ihop because of their variety of offerings, retail store, and brand name, but the International House of Pancakes is strong competition for the Lebanon, based chain.

Off day from the Cracker Barrel

Day one of my usual three-days off from my job at Cracker Barrel. The day is almost spent and there is so much work to do. I had a good three days of work, but was aggravated by seeing my hours shaved by 30 minutes for the coming week. Anyways, can't have it my way all the time, God will provide, I just have to trust him.

Woes of a Waiter

Working as a waiter at Cracker Barrel Old Country Store has its challenges. There is some money to be made, but there are frustrations. I really can't complain about the money that I make, I average about 16 to 17 dollars an hour, but you get those guests who do not tip as well as others and it can mess with your mind. I guess that is true with any restaurant, but because of Cracker Barrel's low prices I think we sometimes attract lower tipping clientele. However, the generous more than make up for those who do not tip as well, and as usual, the good Lord provides.