Companies and Brands

5 Massive Cities That Don't Have Cracker Barrel

Eric Bleeker

Published: October 23, 2023 3:30 pm

Last Updated: October 23, 2023 9:49 pm

Cracker Barrel (NYSE: CBRL) has 661 locations across the United States and operates in 45 states. Across the East Coast, their stores are abundant across major freeways, but as you go further west you’ll find fewer of their locations. Let’s look at which cities are furthest from a Cracker Barrel. If you’re looking for some of the restaurant’s famous “country” cooking, you won’t find it in these cities!

Where Will You Find the Most Cracker Barrels?

Cracker Barrel was founded in Lebanon, Tennessee, so it’s not surprising you’ll find the highest concentration of their stores in the South. In fact, the Southern states of Florida, Tennessee, Georgia, Kentucky, and Alabama account for 40% of all Crack Barrel locations. Tennessee has the most Cracker Barrels per population (one store for every 134,000 residents) while Florida is the state with the most locations with 60 different Cracker Barrels.

However, while Florida has the most locations today, the company is moving westward. Cracker Barrel’s newest location is in Forth Worth, and it just expanded to El Paso within the past 12 months. With several Texas locations either in planning or construction, it’s likely the state could pass Florida for the title. There are currently 55 Cracker Barrel locations in Texas.

States with No Cracker Barrel Locations

While Cracker Barrel is in 45 different states, there are some states without a location. On the East Coast, there are no Cracker Barrel locations in Vermont. The other states without a location as of October 2023 are Wyoming, Washington, Alaska, and Hawaii.

Several other states have just a single location. These include:

• Oregon
• Nevada
• North Dakota
• South Dakota
• Minnesota
• New Hampshire
• Rhode Island
• Maine

As you can see, there simply aren’t a lot of locations along the Pacific Coast. Another challenge is that Cracker Barrel has had to close several locations out west. In Oregon, the company recently closed 3 out of their 4 stores in the state.

Here are 5 massive cities where you’ll need to travel long distances to get your Cracker Barrel fix.

5. New York City

Source: TomasSereda / iStock via Getty Images

• Distance to Nearest Cracker Barrel: 40 miles

We begin our list of cities with no Cracker Barrel on the East Coast. The closest Cracker Barrel from New York City isn’t a massive drive like future entries on this list, but it’s not exactly convenient either. The closest Cracker Barrel is located in Mount Arlington, New Jersey along I-80.

If you’re heading toward Connecticut you’ll have to travel along I-95 until you’ve almost reached New Haven. That’s a 76-mile trip to indulge in Momma’s Breakfast Pancakes.

4. Los Angeles

Source: Ron and Patty Thomas / E+ via Getty Images

• Distance to Nearest Cracker Barrel: 54 miles

Los Angeles isn’t quite the same “Cracker Barrel desert” it used to be. Today, there are stores near Oxnard and San Bernardino. The location near Oxnard is about 54 miles from downtown Los Angeles. You wouldn’t want to make this drive in rush hour, but if you were hankering for Cracker Barrel on a weekend it might be bearable.

The San Bernardino location is also a 54-mile drive from downtown Los Angeles. It’s also the closest Cracker Barrel to San Diego at a 121-mile drive.

3. San Francisco

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• Distance to Nearest Cracker Barrel: 94 miles

The images of San Francisco and Cracker Barrel go together like oil and water, so it’s not surprising you won’t find any locations in the city itself. Yet, with freeways like I-5, 680, and I-80 running near San Francisco, it might surprise you the closest location is a 94-mile drive. The location is in Sacramento and isn’t far from downtown. If you’re heading through California’s capital and hankering for some Chicken n’ Dumplins’, this location is convenient from both I-5 and I-80.

2. Portland

Source: jbentley09 / iStock via Getty Images

• Distance to Nearest Cracker Barrel: 274 miles

We’re now into the cities where you’ll have a serious journey to enjoy some Cracker Barrel. The only Cracker Barrel location in Oregon is in Medford, which is 274 miles south of Portland. That’s about a four-hour drive, assuming you’re really moving fast.

It didn’t used to be such a drive from Portland, but the company closed locations in Beaverton (in the Portland area), Tualatin, and Bend in March of this year.

1. Seattle

Source: LoweStock / iStock via Getty Images

• Distance to Nearest Cracker Barrel: 309 miles

Finally, we end our list with Seattle, which is as far away as you can get in the Continental United States from Cracker Barrel’s headquarters in Lebanon, Tennessee. Despite having a population of 7.7 million people and major interstates like I-5 and I-90, there are no Cracker Barrels in Washington State.

The closest location is a 309-mile drive to the beautiful city of Couer d’Alene. If you happen to be in Idaho, the state isn’t nearly as much of a “Cracker Barrel desert.” There are three location (two others near Boise) and an additional Cracker Barrel right off the border in Montana.