We have Frisch's Big Boy here in southern Ohio/KY and I've told DH I think it is the same as Shoney's but he says NO!! Am I wrong? I think it's the same basic chain just owned by different local families in different parts of the US. They have great pumpkin pie and fish sandwiches!!

The last Bob's I ever ate at was in Tucson or San Diego...I cannot tolerate
1000 Island dressing on burgers as a result, but wouldn't you know I married a man who did!
Never been to a Cracker Barrell
either...
How about Lyon's? Great burgers and
omlettes when the craving hits.
R5

icee, of course I order greasy at Cracker Barrel! Lard is one of the four four groups in the south. The other three being white flour, processed sugar, and salt.

Seriously, I've ordered everything from waffles to the daily meat-and-three to salads to meatloaf to breakfast.

Correa and others:

In the Midwest we have Marc's Big Boys. They are (or were) owned by the Marcus Corp. out of Milwaukee that owns restaurants, hotels and theater complexes. I believe that all Big Boys are related at some level. I think they are a good place much on the level of Country Kitchen, which I believe is also a Midwest thing that has good meals on the order of Cracker Barrel but less $$.

I was born in upstate NY; however I lived from 8-22 in the bible belt and waitressed at Shoney's and an amazing restaurant with REAL down home southern food called the Roanoker. Let's just say, I will NEVER eat at a Shoney's again (boy could I tell stories) but I ALWAYS go to the Roanoker when I go back home to see my parents. YUM YUM! They have the true southern food, grits, the best biscuits known to man, sausage gravy, country ham, I could go on forever. Also, I am not a fan of Cracker Barrel as I don't see it as true southern food but I most definitely don't fault people who like it. As I said earlier, I love Chili's and I know that their food is not true Tex Mex. And yes, I know wafflehouse is gross, I always knew that, but you can't beat the grease on an empty stomach full of cheap Milwakee's "Beast" beer - ah, those college days!

Unfortunately we don't have any "real southern food" in Ohio (if we do, please clue me in) so Cracker Barrel it is.

The fellow who recently worked on finishing our basement warned us not to go to Cracker Barrel - he said it is really expensive. Kind of puts things in perspective.

Anyone in the South hear of places called Famous Amos?
We had soup and biscuits and gravy there once, right after arriving in Fl. Greasy spoon kind of place but the soup was great.
I never thought I would say this, having a huge sweet tooth and all, but I no longer enjoy Sweetea here..I think I am overdosing on sugar :D

Embarrased to admit 10 years here, did not know until now that Cracker Barrel served food - thought it was some kind of country goods store :(

Denny's was also considered to be discriminatory to minorities - so have'nt been there in years. It was the first place I ate at in the US - when we landed late night :)Current greasy food place is IHOP especially for late night sundae cravings.

I really like the Bob Evans places in PA, but there are none in Texas.

Scarlett, a true Southerner is someone born in the South. If your parents cooked country, comfort food when you were growing up, then you can judge that type of food. If you are a country, comfort food expert, then I apologize.

MIZ SCARLETT!!!

You must immediately stop all claims to the south being that you only lived here from 5-19. The nerve.

:-D

LOL~GT, and here I was thinkin that I was just another Southern girl~ Wait until my Daddy hears about this!! :O

Poor Daddy, he did have to be in the Navy and he had to go to California then to Hawaii and he had to take Mama along with him...sigh, if he only knew what he has deprived me of by not having me in NC ...sigh~

JCorea,

We ate at Bob's Big Boy two days in a row in Burbank near NBC Studios on our California road trip 2003. LOVED IT! Service was great, food was good and I loved the atmosphere. For some reason it reminds me of the diner in Pulp Fiction. There are still several Big Boy's left around the country but none near us. Still bummed that I didn't try In N Out though on that trip. I just heard a guy at Fatburger the other day raving about In N Out.

As for Cracker Barrel, we ate there once last year for the first and last time. Not from the south but I do like comfort food (ordered the dumplings) and it just wasn't good quality in our opinions. My husband was disgusted with his meal and literally asked me to never go there again. Did like the comfy rocking chairs outside and spent a few minutes looking through the gift shop but I wouldn't go back for those reasons alone.

I could care less if Regis (nor would I expect him to know) does not know what a Cracker Barrel is. Everyone should have a mind of their own when it comes to voting and not vote for someone simply because they were endorsed by Joe Schmoe Celebrity.

Miz Scarlett, are you feeling scarred for life by this? Should someone call Dr. Phil? Should we have a round table and change the rules?

LOL!

Wow! :p What a lively discussion this has become..... in real Fodor's style!!!

I have traveled up and down the East coast a lot, eaten often at many Cracker Barrels, and as I said above, it's a favorite of mine. Having said that, I have been in them at times, when if that was my only experience, I wouldn't have been impressed. One I stopped at had watery macaroni and cheese, and virtually no meat and seasoning in the veggies! Another one had so much smoky meat in the veggies, you could barely find the veggies. And when the new one near us opened here in Morrisville, the service was so bad for the first month, I wouldn't have recommended it ... they could not get your food to you hot. But overall, I really like the place for what it is, and don't think you can beat their country fried chicken and steak, and their vegetable plates (and their fish fry on Fridays is wonderful, Scarlett, at least in the ones I frequent. And I AM quite sure you're a Southerner! ;;) ) I try to remember you can walk into a bad location of a normally good chain sometimes, and then tend to be soured on the places.

Now I really don't care for Bob Evans. We have one near us, and when I had their biscuits and gravy, I RAN back to Cracker Barrel. Oh, well, to each their own........ it makes the world go round!

And I used to eat at a Shoney's Big Boy restaurant in Maryland, during high school. The burgers were huge and the best..... Don't care for Shoney's now however.

Alright, I'll admit to a quirky thing that when I'm on the road my car will steer uncontrollably towards a Cracker Barrel. And most of them are not particularly good. But if you have to have chicken n' dumplings, then you have to have chicken n' dumplings. No matter if the dumplings are just over-cooked thick noodles.

Their sauteed apple for breakfast are yummy. And you can rent a books-on-tape and drop it off at the next Cracker Barrel while on the road.

I hail from the South -- specifically Seal Beach in southern California. Does that count for anything?

And......to top it off Miz Scarlett...don't I recall you are from NORTH Carolina???

well scarlett, I guess I'm in your group of "fake" southerners, even though I worked for many years in two of the most southern restaurants around and lived there for 14 years

OK, here it goes--I LOVE Cracker Barrel and will always stop at one on a road trip. Phew! I didn't think it was cool to say it before, but now I know it's okay. Especially since Kelly said it on morning TV. Love their gift shop and old fashioned candies, the antique decor, and their pork chops.

Gee, I hope Kelly never tells you to get an abortion!

I knew there were some liberals hiding in the wings. Maybe even NORTHERN liberals. Yeeeek.