{"id":36903,"date":"2017-07-27T04:59:55","date_gmt":"2017-07-27T04:59:55","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.biphoo.com\/bipnews\/?p=36903"},"modified":"2017-07-27T05:05:04","modified_gmt":"2017-07-27T05:05:04","slug":"couple-one-visit-away-from-visiting-every-cracker-barrel-in-america","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.biphoo.com\/bipnews\/lifestyle\/relationships\/couple-one-visit-away-from-visiting-every-cracker-barrel-in-america.html","title":{"rendered":"Couple one visit away from visiting every Cracker Barrel in America"},"content":{"rendered":"

Couple one visit away from visiting every Cracker Barrel in America<\/span><\/strong><\/span><\/h2>\n

Couple one visit away from visiting every Cracker Barrel in America:- Ray and Wilma Yoder of Goshen, Indiana, are on a quest to make Cracker Barrel history.<\/span><\/p>\n

The couple, married for 60 years, are just one visit away from visiting all 645 Cracker Barrel Old Country Store locations in 44 states across the U.S.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ve not had a bad experience anytime,\u201d Ray Yoder, 80, told ABC News. \u201cI\u2019ve always walked away feeling refreshed.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Yoder began stopping at Cracker Barrel restaurants in the 1960s as he made his way across the U.S. as an RV driver.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThey were always along the main Interstate so you\u2019d have to have your eyes closed to miss them,\u201d he said of the Cracker Barrel chain, known for its omnipresent locations marked by tall signs that dot highways across the country.<\/span><\/p>\n

He added, \u201cIt\u2019s nice when you\u2019re out there driving that there\u2019s a place that can be so much like home when you\u2019re away from home.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Wilma Yoder, 81, would join her husband on the cross-country trips and after many years the parents of four children realized they were onto something.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI didn\u2019t keep much records then because I didn\u2019t ever think we\u2019d do what we do,\u201d Ray Yoder said. \u201cThen we began to take it quite seriously and said, \u2018Let\u2019s see if we can do them all.\u2019\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

The Yoders kept track of their visits by taking a map from each restaurant and circling where they had been. As technology progressed, they relied on their children to keep them informed of new store openings posted on Cracker Barrel\u2019s website.<\/span><\/p>\n

Ray Yoder recalled he and his wife once stopped at around 10 Cracker Barrel restaurants in one day on a drive from Orlando to Canada in order to catch up on restaurants along the East Coast.<\/span><\/p>\n

“We don\u2019t drive in the parking lot and say, ‘Now we\u2019re here,'” he said. “We go in a spend a little of money. We\u2019re not rich but we\u2019ll buy a coffee to go or a little bit of candy.”<\/span><\/p>\n

As they crossed Cracker Barrel restaurants off their list, the Yoders became Cracker Barrel celebrities. They are treated as VIPs at restaurant openings and get asked for photos when they stop to dine on their favorite meals, meatloaf and blueberry pancakes.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019re incredibly proud to be a part of the Yoders\u2019 quest to visit all of our locations, which they began 40 years ago,\u201d Janella Escobar, the chain\u2019s director of corporate communications, told ABC News. \u201cWe think of Cracker Barrel as a \u2018home away from home\u2019 for our guests, and the Yoders are certainly a part of our family.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

She continued, \u201cMany years ago, we began inviting them to our ribbon cutting ceremonies as we open new locations to help them on their journey. We look forward to seeing them and helping them complete their mission of visiting every Cracker Barrel in the nation!\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

The couple plans to visit Portland, Oregon, later this year to eat at the last Cracker Barrel on their list, until the next location opens. Then they will visit that restaurant too.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cFor two old people, we\u2019re pretty fast moving,\u201d Ray Yoder said. \u201cWe\u2019re still healthy and we enjoy it so we keep doing it.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Source:-\u00a0http:\/\/abcnews.go.com\/Lifestyle\/couple-visit-visiting-cracker-barrel-america\/story?id=48833962<\/span><\/p>\n

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