Cracker Barrel Old Country Store , Inc. is an American chain of combined restaurant and gift stores with a Southern country theme . The company was founded by Dan Evins in 1969 ; its first store was in Lebanon , Tennessee , which remains the company headquarters . The chain 's stores were at first positioned near Interstate highway exits in the Southeastern and Midwestern United States , but has expanded across the country during the 1990s and 2000s . As of September 18 , 2012 , the chain operates 639 stores in 43 states .

Question: how many states have a cracker barrel restaurant
Answer: 43