Does Cracker Barrel Still Let You Park Your RV Overnight?
Recently, the country-themed restaurant chain Cracker Barrel found itself in the news for the wrong reason. A rebranding effort featuring a new and highly generic logo was met with intense dislike from fans of the purveyor of chicken-fried steak, meatloaf, dumplings, and other comfort foods. Subsequently, the longstanding "old timer" signage has been restored. However, Cracker Barrel loyalists who also happen to enjoy camper vans, RVs, and luxurious destination trailers have a new concern. Specifically, will they continue to be able to park their rigs overnight in the eatery's parking lots?
Worries over the ability to park overnight at Cracker Barrel come as some RVers noticed new signage at certain stores that forbid the practice. This notion was reinforced when one store manager telegraphed a company-wide ban on overnight camping. However, according to a Cracker Barrel representative, the company's policy is the same as ever and in no ways blanket bans overnight stays at its 650-plus restaurants in 45 states. As told to RV vlogger Jason Epperson (via The Travel), "Cracker Barrel's policies have not changed. It's still a store-by-store decision. The decision is based on factors like local ordinances and laws, the size and the layout of the parking lot, among other things."
If you're considering making overnight stays at Cracker Barrel part of your next RV adventure, perhaps the best advice is to contact the potential locations ahead of time to inquire about their current policy regarding overnight stays. Also, if you're given the green light for overnight parking, be respectful. Don't leave trash behind, and don't hog the best parking spaces near the entrance, where regular customers would normally park. Finally, it goes without saying that overnight guests should support their free stay by purchasing a meal or some items from the Cracker Barrel's attached store.
It's unclear whether Cracker Barrel did in fact briefly ban overnight camping, only to later rescind that decision. Or was the camping ban rumor merely the result of bad information from certain store manager(s) and at least one customer service representative who delivered the bad news via an online chat? In any case, overnight parking at Cracker Barrel has not been universally banned, after all. Similar to the policies at Walmart, Home Depot, and some other popular overnight RV parking spots, the decision ultimately lies with the manager of each individual location and local laws.
