Meghan McCain's Comments About This Restaurant Have Twitter Divided

Whether you love or hate her, Meghan McCain added to the spiciness and drama during her four seasons on "The View." But McCain grew tired of being the sole Republican voice on the show, and she felt the work environment was just too "toxic" for her to continue, particularly her frosty relationship with cohost Joy Behar (via Variety). Now free to pursue her own projects, the conservative journalist is already busy with a new audio memoir, "Bad Republican," in which she explains her continued affiliation with the party (via MSNBC). She also joined the British tabloid Daily Mail as a columnist, where she can express her views to a receptive audience. (The paper is considered Britain's farthest right-wing paper, via YouGov.)

And express she has. One column she wrote recently has been getting equal amounts of cheers and criticism. Reacting to a CNN report on inflation, McCain wrote in defense of average American families who are finding it difficult to make ends meet as prices for necessities like food and gas continue to climb. (The CNN report profiled a family of nine who spend nearly $134 a month on milk alone.) She added that the media's "elitist" attitude toward these regular folks is fueling a climate of distrust and resentment.

As an example, McCain referenced a recent tweet by Food Insider in which their reporters tried dishes from a well-known Southern-style restaurant for the very first time. Their reaction, she said, proves that middle-class Americans are being mocked for their thrifty dining choices.

None of the New York-based Food Insider reporters had ever been to Cracker Barrel, but they gave their honest opinions of such signature comfort foods as chicken and dumplings and country-fried steak. The reviews ranged from "it's not for me" to "I'm not used to this kind of food, but I would eat this and I like it." McCain slammed the video as an example of out-of-touch liberals treating middle-class cuisine as weird and exotic. "It is a quintessential American chain restaurant that has saved my life many times during my years on the road," McCain declared, adding that she personally loves their "Grandpa's Country Fried Breakfast."

Followers on Twitter had mixed reactions. Some agreed that you just don't dis the Barrel — "That Cracker Barrel bit was offensive, and I'm a card-carrying liberal," wrote one. "You don't see us making fun of their food!" Others just shook their heads. "Is this a joke? The world is aflame and you're worried that people might make fun of Cracker Barrel...?" commented one. Others pointed out the lack of logic in a wealthy journalist talking about "media snobs." 

Another follower pointed out that a supposedly affordable chain eatery can be a luxury for average Americans. "If you think a large family can afford to eat at Cracker Barrel, only shows how out of touch you are. Maybe it's inexpensive for you, but for the people that you don't want to raise the minimum wage for, not so much."