Cracker Barrel Renovates Their Stores And Folks Aren’t Happy

If you're a fan of the old fashioned decorating style of Cracker Barrel, you might want to pull up a rocking chair and read the news. Seem as though the C.E.O has decided the longtime restaurant chain that is know for it's iconic down home charm, may have lost some charm for today's consumer. Now the feeling at the corporate level is, the restaurants needs a lot of updating.

The idea that Cracker Barrel is dated is foolish, after all isn't that the whole point of the place to begin with? When you enter the restaurant the front porch is full of rocking chairs and barrels that feature checkerboards for diners to play while they wait for their table to be called.

When you go through the front doors you enter the "Cracker Barrel Country Store" a throwback if there ever was one. So many items that harken back to simpler times, like old fashioned candy and toys that invoke memories of better times.

You can buy clothes and knick-knacks that you had no idea that you ever wanted to begin with. If you can wander around the store without buying anything, then you are a very rare person my friend.

If you didn't know, some Cracker Barrel stores are receiving a makeover, and a few of them got a whole new look.  Except, it's modern and awful-looking.

When you go into a Cracker Barrel, there's something comforting about how tacky it is in there.  There's kitsch everywhere.  The gift shop spills out into the restaurant, and there's doo-dads and weird stuff in every corner.

Well, at the Cracker Barrel in Mount Juliet, Tennessee they changed the whole store, so now it looks as sterile as a hospital in there.

Someone online said, "What is this B.S., I want to feel like I'm eating at Mee-maw's house."

Instead, someone said it now looks like, quote, "Panera, with a fireplace."  Although they're leaving the signature rocking chairs out front, the whole inside has changed to a modern, sleek look.

In other words, it looks awful and like everything else.  What's next, you going to change Waffle House into a nightclub??

Some things are better left the way they were.

(The Boot)

As a father of four, my mornings are always a bit hectic. I enjoy being an early bird; however, I rarely have the time to prep a good breakfast. Therefore, I was quite thrilled to see that Tasting Table recognized three New England restaurants for having the best breakfast sandwiches in the country. I'm always looking for a good quick breakfast.

A morning in my world usually consists of a sunrise workout, followed by a scramble to get myself and the kids out of the house. Then I embark on an hour-long drive to the office. On the weekends, it's taking one of my kids to their sports game. Let's focus on the latter for a moment.

While I am more lenient on my breakfast choice (a banana or shake will do), I insist upon a healthy start for the little guys. Driving them all around New England on weekends requires a few drive-thru meals that you eat in the car. My preference is for the kids to have something substantial, with a protein they enjoy. A breakfast sandwich is often the choice.

The perfect breakfast sandwich should follow three simple rules. It's quick, both to order and make. It's fresh (not a microwaved egg slab pulled out of plastic). Finally, it's a balanced hand-held item that is not too heavy, processed or sugar-filled.

When trekking through interstates and unfamiliar towns at sunrise, it's easy to settle upon the quickest Dunkin' Donuts. Now, there are some other options that you (and I) should know about. These three New England restaurants ranking among the best breakfast sandwiches in the country.

Before we get into the list, it is necessary to give one other shout-out. The Portland, Oregon establishment named by Tasting Table has both the best restaurant and sandwich name. The "Yolko Ono" by Fried Egg I'm In Love.

Sofra Bakery and Café in Cambridge, MA, is the first stop. Tasting Table calls out "Geno's Egg Sandwich." This is a brioche bun filled with egg topped with halloumi cheese, feta butter, tomato concasse, and spicy green cilantro.

Next, we hop on 95 North and pull into the Elephantine Bakery in Portsmouth, New Hampshire. Here the selected breakfast sandwich is called the "Egg Simit." It's the healthiest of the three choices based on pure ingredients. This sandwich consists of egg, hummus, beat pistachio spread, feta, and spinach on a sesame simit.

I actually had a very hard time securing a quick bacon, egg, and cheese this past spring while in Maine for a lacrosse tournament. Now I know I need to go to a coffee shop next time. Tandem Coffee has something so good, it doesn't even need a clever name. "The Breakfast Sandwich" is simply egg, American cheese, and smoked paprika. However, when you rest it upon a homemade buttermilk biscuit, you reach a new level.