Way back, when I was a kid, my mom used to go to a tradeshow in Chicago. You couldn't go unless you were fourteen years old or older. For the first few years, I couldn't attend with her, but I remember her bringing us back stuff from the show and from Cracker Barrel. I still have a deck of cards she brought back to me one time. Because we were largely unfamiliar with Cracker Barrel, it always seemed like a fascinating place. As they began popping up in more places, we began visiting them when we would make our annual Disney trip. They continued to be amazing.
Now, I live in a place that has multiple Cracker Barrel locations in close proximity. I can always go there, even if I just want to shop. Sundays are the best day to visit, so we decided to have lunch there today.
Upon arrival, we were quoted a ten to fifteen minute wait. It couldn't have been much more than five minutes when they paged us. We were quickly seated at a two top and given menus for both breakfast and dinner. I didn't need the menu, as I knew what I wanted. On Sunday, they have a home-style chicken meal. It's two chicken breasts, dipped in buttermilk then breaded and deep fried; it comes with two sides. Like all meals, you also get biscuits and cornbread, as well.
Our server quickly took our orders. Mark requested that our bread come before the meal, as we were ravenous. With-in a few minutes, she was back with our beverages and biscuits.* I love that Cracker Barrel gives you little jam and jellies with your biscuits. Some places have gone to just butter, but not Cracker Barrel. I put some strawberry jam on one of the warm biscuits and dug in. Mark had blackberry jam, and all was well with the world.
As I am a heavy drinker, I drained my glass pretty quickly. Some restaurants are pretty good about keeping up with me. Others struggle a bit. Cracker Barrel is nice in that the employees seem to keep an eye on everyone. A lady who appeared to be a manager popped by to see what I was drinking and get me a refill. It was very efficient.
Keeping with the speedy service, our meals came out before we could even eat our biscuits. It was at this point that I realized just how good of a stop Cracker Barrel can be while you're traveling. Everything comes out so quickly.
Mark and I both had the chicken special. I opted for carrots and mashed potatoes with gravy, while Mark had carrots and hash-brown casserole. We unanimously agreed that the chicken was awesome. It was tender and very hot. The breading was not too heavy and pleasantly crispy. Dipped in some honey, it was delightful.
Our potato sides were a bit hit and miss. I'm not usually a fan of gravy, but I like the Cracker Barrel mashed potatoes with gravy. They just demand it. Today, they were very delicious. Mark's hash-brown casserole was another story. He said it started out good but quickly turned soggy. We think the carrots may have been to blame.
The carrots were definitely the problem child of the meal. I used to not eat carrots. I eventually learned to eat them raw. A couple years ago, I learned to like them on our grill. Maybe a year or so ago, I tried them at Cracker Barrel and loved them. They're a bit sweet and usually very tender. Unfortunately, they are sometimes allowed to sit in the cooking liquid too long. This makes them over-saturated with water, leading them to kind of explode when you put any pressure on them. It's kind of gross. Today was not a good day for carrots. We both ate a couple before declaring them distasteful.
All in all, the meal was a good one for me. Mark's sides were a little less acceptable than mine, but he did steal some of my potatoes, which he liked. The service was efficient, and the meals come out quickly. If you do have to wait, you can always look in the shop, which is a pleasant experience. I love browsing the candy in particular. I did step away to wash my hands after eating and had trouble getting out of the restaurant and into the shop area. Some people like to stand in the archway when waiting. I don't think they understand the concept of the shop. If anything, it would be nice to see the employees keep this area clear, but they can only do so much.
I've liked Cracker Barrel for a long time, and I'm pretty sure I'll like it for a long time to come. If you've never been, check it out. We each had chicken dinners for about eight bucks each. That's a pretty good deal.
*We passed on the cornbread in favor of extra biscuits.
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