FOOD NEWS
Why You Won't See A Cracker Barrel Near New York City
By Jim Thompson
In 45 of the 50 US states — the exceptions are Vermont, Washington, Wyoming, Alaska, and Hawaii — you’ll see a Cracker Barrel, the ubiquitous home-cooking eatery with an expansive gift shop. While nearly 700 Cracker Barrel restaurant-gift shops dot the countryside, one place where you won't find Cracker Barrel is New York City and the adjacent Long Island.
The Cracker Barrel closest to New York City is in Milford, Connecticut, and requires using the Port Jefferson ferry on Long Island for an 18-mile boat and car trip. More than 80% of Cracker Barrel stores are located along the interstate, so the city streets of New York aren’t the ideal location for the restaurant.
In 2019, in honor of its 50th anniversary, Cracker Barrel had a tiny replica store rolling in the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade, and a 269-square-foot Cracker Barrel was parked in Foley Square, where visitors could buy items in a gift shop and walk through a tiny dining room. The replica float returned for 2020 and 2021, but it probably won’t be returning for 2022.