Frequent patrons at Cracker Barrel will be familiar with its iconic look. From the trinket-covered wooden lattices to the gift shop full of rustic goods, it’s all a part of the store’s charm. Another iconic element of every Cracker Barrel location is the peg game that sits on the tabletops. Also known as peg solitaire or Hi-Q, solving this puzzle to leave a lone peg is a great workout for the brain. Real ones know the rules: Leave one peg and you’re a genius, or two and you’re pretty smart. Anything above that, well, you’re just “plain dumb” (Cracker Barrel said it, not us!) After a streak of failures or wins, we’re all left hungry for a hefty plate of Chicken n’ Dumplings.
While this is a fun way to pass the time, why does Cracker Barrel always have little peg games on the tables? Well, the peg game has been around since the opening of the original Cracker Barrel in the 1960s. The reason for its existence is simple: to keep customers entertained while they wait for their food. These games were made by a father-son duo from the company Qualls & Sons Novelties — a business headquartered in the same place as the original Cracker Barrel in Lebanon, Tennessee. The duo hand-counted, drilled, stamped, and packed every peg game by hand. With thousands of peg games in rotation today, it seems like their hard work paid off.
All the other ways to wait at Cracker Barrel
While it seems like Qualls & Sons Novelties has closed in recent years, this iconic game still graces Cracker Barrel tabletops everywhere today, and an additional 500,000 games are sold in the gift shops every year. The country store may have made the game famous, but it was around for a long time before the chain existed. The first known print reference to the peg game came from a French magazine called Mercure Galant, which was published in 1687.
The peg game is one thing that helps customers pass time at Cracker Barrel, but other features at the store make it just as easy to wait. For starters, there are other games to play here, too, like checkers or a game of eye spy. The store’s maximalist design is a perfect place for curious crowds with wandering eyes or those with a penchant for history. Get lost in all the retro gadgets, children’s toys, photographs, and textiles that cover the walls.
Finally, you can even wait on the store’s porch in one of its many rocking chairs. No one likes waiting, but it’s not too hard at a place like Cracker Barrel. If you liked reading about its the peg game, check out the history behind Cracker Barrel’s iconic gift shop next.
