Ray and Wilma Yoder are probably America ’s foremost recreational expert on Cracker Barrel restaurants . AsEaterreports , the Indiana dyad is on a 30 - year quest to eat at every singleCracker Barrelin the U.S. And they ’ve almost completed it .
Ray Yoder of Goshen , Indiana , first started go away to Cracker Barrel on a regular basis when he worked delivering RVs across the country . shortly , Wilma was total along , too , and the couple began hunting down Cracker Barrel locations in heartfelt , a pastime they ’ve pursued for the preceding three decade .
Cracker Barrel gotits startin Lebanon , Tennessee , in 1969 , and grant to Ray , visit the restaurants while on the road felt like being at plate . “ It has a down - home look , and everybody is favorable , ” he told theLebanon Democrat . He told the report that stopping at Cracker Barrels helped relieve boredom when he was on the road .
Now , he and Wilma are fame to those in the Cracker Barrel jazz . Cracker Barrel ’s corporate leadership receive them to opening day at new computer storage . Employees bonk of them , and sometimes they get giving baskets when they fall in to bilk a new Cracker Barrel off their list . multitude ask to take their picture when they impose .
The 80 - year - old have just two formula for their visit : At each location , they always buy something , even if it ’s just a cupful of umber , and leave a tip . There ’s no limit on how many Cracker Barrels they ’ll go to in a unmarried mean solar day , though . They once natter 10 different locations on a drive along the East Coast . Overall , their Cracker Barrel escapade has taken them more than 5 million Swedish mile across 44 states .
The Yoders of late visited their 644th Cracker Barrel , attending a ribbon - slip ceremony for a raw position in Lavonia , Georgia , in early July . They ’re hope to hit up the last Cracker Barrel on their list — until thenext oneopens , that is — by heading to Tualatin , Oregon , sometime afterwards this year .
Update : Portland news stationKGWreports that the Yoders have now dispatch their pursuance , contain in at the Tualatin Cracker Barrel on August 28 . The troupe flew them to Oregon for the juncture , which pit the closing of their 645 - restaurant journeying . For now , at least .
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All images courtesy Cracker Barrel
