Call me a rube, but I think Cracker Barrel has first-rate food.
As for the rest, of the ones you mention that I have sampled they are not excellent, but neither are they horrible. These restaurants are capitalizing on a brand name, which provides certainty in exchange for foregoing any chance at excellence. Whether you walk into a restaurant in Fontana, Newton or Metairie, you know exactly what you'll get, so you avoid getting something unexpectedly bad. In that sense, the restaurant chains perform the same function as any trademark.
Some of the worst meals I have ever had have been in non-chain restaurants, including Italian ones. But if you want a memorable meal, you'll have to avoid a chain too.