POWER OF ATTORNEY

Know all by these presents, that the undersigned hereby constitutes and appoints
R. Gregory Lewis and Mark A. Parkey, signing singly, the undersigned's true and
lawful attorney-in-fact to:

(1)      execute for and on behalf of the undersigned, in the undersigned's
         capacity as an officer and/or director of J. Alexander's Corporation
         (the "Company"), Forms 3, 4, and 5 in accordance with Section 16(a) of
         the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and the rules thereunder;

(2)      do and perform any and all acts for and on behalf of the undersigned
         which may be necessary or desirable to complete and execute any such
         Form 3, 4, or 5, complete and execute any amendment or amendments
         thereto, and file such form with the United States Securities and
         Exchange Commission and any stock exchange or similar authority; and

(3)      take any other action of any type whatsoever in connection with the
         foregoing which, in the opinion of such attorney-in-fact, may be of
         benefit to, in the best interest of, or legally required of, the
         undersigned, it being understood that the documents executed by such
         attorney-in-fact on behalf of the undersigned pursuant to this Power of
         Attorney shall be in such form and shall contain such terms and
         conditions as such attorney-in-fact may approve in such
         attorney-in-fact's discretion. The undersigned hereby grants to each
         such attorney-in-fact full power and authority to do and perform any
         and every act and thing whatsoever requisite, necessary, or proper to
         be done in the exercise of any of the rights and powers herein granted,
         as fully to all intents and purposes as the undersigned might or could
         do if personally present, with full power of substitution or
         revocation, hereby ratifying and confirming all that such
         attorney-in-fact, or such attorney-in-fact's substitute or substitutes,
         shall lawfully do or cause to be done by virtue of this power of
         attorney and the rights and powers herein granted. The undersigned
         acknowledges that the foregoing attorneys-in-fact, in serving in such
         capacity at the request of the undersigned, are not assuming, nor is
         the Company assuming, any of the undersigned's responsibilities to
         comply with Section 16 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. This
         Power of Attorney shall remain in full force and effect until the
         undersigned is no longer required to file Forms 3, 4, and 5 with
         respect to the undersigned's holdings of and transactions in securities
         issued by the Company, unless earlier revoked by the undersigned in a
         signed writing delivered to the foregoing attorneys-in-fact.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned has caused this Power of Attorney to be
executed as of this 20th day of February, 2004.


        Signature        /s/Joe N. Steakley


        Print Name        Joe N. Steakley


