jor

Cracker Barrel has had public relations problems because of their descrimination problems with blacks and gays. They have been reported to have fired people who they deemed gay, and do not hire blacks in order to maintain their down-home southern image. Kelly Ripa doesn't have a clue about her infatuation with this place.

snowrooster

While you are correct that they have had been cited for problems with discrimination, to say they don't hire african americans is not correct (at least not now). I also don't think Kelly mentioning that she and her kids enjoyed the place on one show is what I'd consider an infatuation.

girlonthego

I must make a comment about the above poster's talk about diners. I grew up in Northern NJ the diner capital of the world! Every two miles had another diner. Each glitzy little place had the revolving cake tray. These cakes were huge! I often wondered who ate that stuff. Anyway, they had the best breakfasts night and day...taylor ham with egg and cheese on a great hard roll...mmmmm I am getting hungry and french fries with gravy, and the best burgers....Oh well, I am now off to my kitchen...

Tandoori_Girl

jor, let's say you're right that Kelly doesn't have a clue. But what to do? Do you only patronize restaurants where there are gays and blacks? It's difficult to know whether smaller places discriminate. We only know about Cracker Barrel because they got caught.

CAPH52

JJ5, I concede on the Waffle House issue. I checked the website. You're right, there are two in Illinois (a pretty small number compared to the Southern states). I should've checked the website before I posted rather than after.

I grew up in So. Illinois, haven't lived there in over 30 years. But with in-laws still there, we make the trip from the Chicago suburbs several times a year.

Yes, we took our kids to Cahokia Mounds a couple of years ago. And, yes, I stay away from Oberweis for political reasons. I refuse to help fund another of his senate races.

crys

I was telling a friend about Cracker Barrel's rather ugly discriminatory history. He found that a hoot--the Cracker Barrel near his is a major gay hangout, and most of the staff is gay. Give an American entity time to correct itself, and it does it!

offlady

Sorry to get off the subject, but...isn't there something better than Waffle House for breakfast? We always seem to end up there whenever we are traveling in the south--for convenience sake and lack of knowing better, and I have never been excited with the food or service. The last one we went to was just outside of Asheville. There was a hole in the ceiling with water dripping from some sort of condensation. It was dripping right in the middle of the front entry as soon as you walked in, water dripping on a counter seat, and splashing onto the countertop and the placemat menu. It was just business as usual as customers waited (what seemed forever) for a table watching the drips, workers all walking around it, and patrons sitting next to the wet chair and counter eating away.

Ke1th: Do you know if Matt's Rib Shack is still there in Buckhead? We loved that place and hope to go back one day.

Statia

OO, I didn't see your post until today. I don't have any great hand-me-down receipes for squash casserole (although I wish I did). But, I made a great version for Christmas last year and I'd be happy to email you that recipe sometime. Or, I can post it on Scarlett's recipe thread when I come across it.

Scarlett

I topped the recipe thread

Have a good day

Amazed

Poster graduated from the challenges of canned tomato soup to actual cooking. We remain ...

Amazed

kimamom

The Bob's Big Boy still is in Fresno, it has moved from the Blackstone & Shaw location and is now on Blackstone near Bullard Ave. I too was a BBB fan, loved their hamburgers and chocolate sundaes there.

Johnny Rockets is lots of fun with some pretty good burgers comprable to In n Out. It's fun to watch them sing and dance to YMCA when we go there to eat. My DD has had a couple of birthday parties there that were really fun. ***kim***

seetheworld

This is off the topic (sorry I've never experienced Cracker Barrel)....

but why is it that when you click on "Amazed's" screen name, nothing comes up? How are you able to block it Amazed? Are we supposed to be 'amazed'?

kimamom

Kind of like David Copperfield, huh? LOL To keep this on-topic, there is a little chain of restaurants in the PNW called The Pig N' Pancake that we like for breakfast. Kind of like an IHOP on the Oregon Coast. They have locations in Seaside, Astoria and Cannon Beach that I know of. They make really good little piggies in a blanket! ***kim***

OO

seetheworld, it's a neat trick that only people dressed in "blacktie" can do while posting 9 to 5, Monday through Friday at the office, with a job that evidently requires little, if any, time or effort.

Thanks Statia--I'm just now seeing your post, sorry. I do have DH's Mom's squash recipe, an old family favorite. I was just wondering if Cracker Barrel's is similar. Squash, onions, crumbled saltines mixed into it all. It was yummy and relatively healthy, in comparison to some of the food that came out of that very southern kitchen. It was all wonderful, but lawsy, if eaten daily would send cholesterol levels into the stratosphere.

iceeu2

OO...I've never had squash casserole at Cracker Barrel. They must not have it or I'm sure I would have eaten it.
Now, they have an outstanding hashbrown potato casserole.

beth48

Wow, this sure is getting a great response!! I, too, love the Cracker Barrel. We always try to stop at one when we travel - you can always count on a good, inexpensive meal. My hubby just loves their Sunday chicken dinner special. And I love their fried shrimp dinner or grilled chicken tenderloins..be sure to have them with their wonderful honey mustard. Cracker Barrel is the best!!!

capri767

I tried to resist a reply but,alas,here I am.I'm a southerner(yes, I was born here... lol)and live very close to the town where the CB was founded.Honestly, I dont eat there that often and it seems there is one located off almost every exit of the interstate.What is interesting to me ,however, is that the majority of the patrons typically are travelers and often aren't even southern.If I want real southern food, I just go to my mom's or grandmother's like everyone else.CB may have been concieved in a southern state, but that by no means makes it have real southern flavor.I'm not knocking it at all..sometimes after a long day at the ball game and too many bloody's ..there is nothing like hashbrown casserole from CB..I'm just saying its kinda like a knock off of the real thing.

capri767

In regard to a lapdog's post...I do LOVE a place where I can get CRUSHED ice in my drink.What happened to the days of good old crushed ice..it makes your drink sooooooooo much better!!

Statia

OO and iceeu, the squash casserole came up due to my original post on this thread where I mentioned Black Eyed Pea restaurants serving a great squash casserole. I didn't mention Cracker Barrel serving it, although they might have one, as well. Just clarifying.

snowrooster

It's funny, but I've never thought of Cracker Barrel as southern food, really just comfort food.

For all you IHOP fans, they are opening the first one in my area tomorrow (southern Ohio) and it is going to be specifically to try out new menu items - a test market I suppose. Should be interesting to see what they come up with.