Topic: Cracker Barrel

[littlebit]

My husband cannot stand this place.
Every time I convince him to try it again, they mess up his order, or we get poor service.
Maybe my husband is bad luck.
My sister and I eat there regularly, and always have great service, and good food.
I will continue to eat there.

[watson]

Now I have never had a bad time in here...My mom and brother love their food and my mom likes to wonder through their gift shop and wish alot but I hate their chairs...Their chairs always put my legs to sleep.......

[Eeyore]

      We have always enjoyed Cracker Barrel as well.  Always seem to be able to get a group though in good time.  And almost always pleasant.  We enjoy them on the road as well, because it is "all the same and kind of homey".  When you are 1000 miles away from home, you don't want to chance new fancy foods.

[MRS. YUKONJACK57]

it has some real good days and some real bad. I guess it might be the cook that is on for that day.

[Trix]

Don't leave anything on the table I had a cell phone stolen there by the waitress she admited she picked it up but couldn't remember exactly where she put it probably in her pocket!!!

[Coyote]

I love Cracker Barrell.  I always have a good meal there...so much to choose from.  I love the gift shop too.  Have never had bad service or any hair raising stories to tell.  Maybe I'm lucky.  My ex-son-in-law always complained about the place, so I told him to stop going.  But then again, he complained about every place.

[melissacaroline]

We love this place, always get great service - food is fantastic...... however my husband doesn't take me there often as I go crazy in the store!!!
Melissa

[mandie_81z]

There have been a few times we've been given bad service or that the food was bad. I just jumped on the website, told them what happened, and they sent us a gold card. A gold card is good for ANY meal on the menu and a dessert and drink, for free.

[crockergal]

I love shopping in the store at Christmas time, you can find just about everyone on your list something.

[Coyote]

My husband went nuts at the John Deere display and we ended up with him a new ball cap, a new clock, a sweat shirt and a bag of candy.  For the first time ever, it was ME that was saying..."come on! I want to go home!"  Can't take him there but once a month now.  He's no longer a cheap date.

[Armywifenmom]

I Think its like every other restaurant its going to be a hit or miss. One time great the other time yikes. My biggest complaint is that they can be soooo slow. I can understand when they are swamped but we went in and there were maybe 15 people in there and it took over an hour!! But for the most part the food is good.

[MRS. YUKONJACK57]

I agree with you.

[sapperwife1976]

We love the food there, don't think I've ever had a problem with the food, just the wait time as well.  Hard to sit and wait 30 min with a toddler.  Also have a hard time not spending tons of money in there store! 

[igahmah at work]

I used to play I spy with my daughter when we went there, she was 5 or 6.  They have so many things hanging on their walls, a game could last till our food came.

[igahmah at work]

I like shopping at the store after Christmas, get ornaments for 50-75% off.

[Sissy Bee]

I have only had one bad experiene there about a time issue when it was slow, I can understand when it's busy, but it wasn't that day, talked to the manager and he made right by it and gave us a discount.  We eat there regulary and most of the wait staff is good, some not so good, so we try to learn the names of the good ones and when we go in we request their tables.

[Coyote]

I like shopping at the store after Christmas, get ornaments for 50-75% off.

I went berzerk there a couple years ago.  They had all the Christmas stuff at 75-90 percent off and they had to have a couple guys help carry all the bags to my car (ha). 

[igahmah at work]

We went last night, my grandson's birthdays (twins).  The food was ok, service was good, little dissappointed that they don't come sing happy birthday anymore.

[angelamo]

My mom used to really like going there. But the last few times she's went, she's repeatedly had either bad service or bad food (cold, not what she ordered, tasted "funny", etc). But the LAST time we went, the fish wasn't cooked very well, she sent it back to be cooked a bit longer. Some time later (when the rest of us had finished eating), her food still hadn't been brought to her. When it did come back, she didn't like the taste of the fish at all. And our female server actually told us that she didn't want to go get the rest of us the little bowl of mixed jellies until she could bring back mom's food, because she didn't want to waste a trip into the kitchen. The manager dealt with the situation very effectively.

Otherwise, I usually don't have a problem with the food or the service. I eat at Cracker Barrel on trips because it is definately nice to have "home cooked" type food. And the same homey feel, as someone mentioned.

[Coyote]

I can't remember how long Cracker Barrell has been up there...9-10 years?  Service is great there 99% of the time and IMO the food is always very good.  So how do they manage to get and keep all the good servers in the area and most other places go downhill so fast?  (Remember Lil Rizos?  Ashley Mae's?  Gary's Catfish joint, The Imperial?).  Those little stars on the CB aprons mean 6 months with the Cracker Barrell.  There are several servers with 8 stars.  They must do something nice for their employees.

[Eden]

I was hired there several years ago to work weekends - let me tell you they expect ALOT out of their workers. I hate to say I could not handle working full time during the week and working there on the weekends. I quit before my training was even over! 

[igahmah at work]

I'd like to work in their gift shop but it wouldn't pay me to work there.  I would spend all my earnings on candles and "stuff"

[crockergal]

One of the things I like about Cracker Barrell is its very kid friendly.  You can take your infant & pumpkin seat in, and they have a really neat & safe chair, that sits level with the table.  I hated taking my daughter to resturants and having to leave her sitting in her pumpkin seat on the floor!

[ctmom20]

Those little stars on the CB aprons mean 6 months with the Cracker Barrell.  There are several servers with 8 stars.  They must do something nice for their employees.

Nobody has over 4 stars, it's impossible. I used to work there. It stands for the "par level" of each server. They don't do MUCH nice for their employees..

[Coyote]

Sorry, but I counted them and I think I can count to 8.  Plus the waitress told me that each star is for 6 months, so was she a liar?  What should Cracker Barrell do for their employees?

Nobody has over 4 stars, it's impossible. I used to work there. It stands for the "par level" of each server. They don't do MUCH nice for their employees..

[Eden]

When I was hired there they were for levels. You had to pass tests to get to new levels - I can't remember how many you could get.

[Coyote]

Sorry that just sort of ticked me off on how many stars were on the aprons.  Maybe she took a test every six months...who knows, I don't work there, but I knew a lady who worked in the gift shop and loved it.  Plus all the wait staff has been wonderful and the food always good.  JMO.

[Eden]

I love to eat there, but hubby is not crazy about it. I love the fireplace in the winter! But I hated working there.

[Eden]

From there website:

Cracker Barrel is very proud of its PAR (Personal Achievement Responsibility) program. Maybe you have noticed the gold stars on the aprons of our hourly employees. Each star represents a PAR level that the employee has achieved. The PAR program prepares hourly employees to be leaders within the organization.

There are four PAR levels for each skill position. Each level teaches elements that are critical to an employee’s development and understanding of the Cracker Barrel culture. In addition to introducing skill sets necessary for a particular position, PAR training focuses on teamwork, relationship building and partnership. Hourly employees even learn how to read a store’s profit/loss statement so they understand the company’s business strategy and the effect they can have on that strategy.

[carpenter]

It is impossible to get more than 4 stars. 
 
When you first start there you are given an apron with the "rising star" embroidered on it.  You then are eligible to take the 1st par level course after you have been there awhile.  They will let you know when you are eligible to take these par tests as they keep track of all their employees.  Depending on your test results you can achieve the next higher level or if you fail that test you will have to wait to retake that particular test again.  You do not automatically "get" a star for every 6 months that you work there.   
 
The initial tests for the first few par levels are not that difficult.  Mostly common sense and you are expected to "know" the Cracker Barrel business inside out.  The higher par level tests, of course, are much more difficult.  Folks with the brown aprons are regular employees, those with the red aprons are looked at as trainers (more supervisory positions). 
 
It is an ok place to eat when you have a good server and the kitchen is on it's toes.  Get a bad server and you know how THAT goes as well, but that is the case in any restaurant.  When we go in we always request particular servers and we don't have any issues with our dining experience.
 
I can say that they are incredibly strict/rigid regarding their employees.  It is the Cracker Barrel way or the highway.  Period. 
 
btw I have worked for CB in the past so I'm not just blowing smoke......