The Peanut Barrel Restaurant was originally opened as a Jacks or Better Restaurant in 1973 by Carol and Gordon Smith. The concept was large juicy burgers, cold beer and peanuts (and those remain in place to this very day). In 1979, Joe and Jennifer Bell purchased the Barrel and built the business into and East Lansing icon. When the Bell’s decided to retire in 2023, Michael Krueger, owner of Crunchy’s and himself a Michigan State Alum, purchased the restaurant and has proudly continued to build the legacy of “The Barrel” to this very day.