Cracker Barrel Old Country Store — Restaurant in Buda

September 2024

Cracker Barrel Old Country Store on Labor Day was extremely busy but before leaving my house I added my name to the waitlist by logging in on the Cracker Barrel app. It helped but after checking in I still had to wait so explored the store where picked out some Fall, Halloween and Christmas items to purchase and took home. The staff was very friendly and helpful.

It was also a Monday so decided to order the Daily Dinner Special which was Chicken N' Rice with Hashbrown Casserole and Dumplins as sides. I took a chance and really enjoyed it where the chicken was easily cut using a fork and was very tasty. Along with the sides I practically cleaned my plate. Also I got a basket with both Buttermilk Biscuits and Cornbread Muffins which bother were also good. They also have bus/RV parking spots.

August 2023

Social media is strong with Cracker Barrel Old Country Store where after seeing Halloween merchandise available my wife had to see it in person. We arrived and with the usual 30 minute wait we spent that time exploring the store. I found Fall, Halloween, Christmas and all the 4th of July items were on sale. My arms were getting full carrying stuff where a nice staff person handed me a basket to place them in. They even had just release items like the new Harry Potter Hershey's chocolate. I still miss the bottled sweet tea.

I ordered the Chicken Pot Pie and it was pretty good. It was presented nicely in an old style casserole dish where the crust had great flavor. It had enough of chicken and potato chunks. It was pretty tasty. The sweet tea was kept full and finished off my pot pie.

Afterwards it was back to the store where once again picked out a few more items to purchase and take home.

I still think this place needs WiFi where I get a poor AT&T signal where open the app to pay. And the restrooms need help bad where a remodel is needed. Not going to get in the details where I just ate.

Other than that I love this place.

June 2022

Cracker Barrel is a favorite of mine where enjoy taking both my wife and parents there. I have to many locations all over the country and one thing I can say there is consistency of food quality and country store products. I was sad to see the bottled sweet tea disappear from the shelves and check every time to see if they are back. On a plus they recently added alcoholic drinks to the menu but still prefer either coffee or sweet tea.

The Buda location is the closest to my home and when My wife and I arrived the parking lot was full. Luckily I found a spot and not too long to wait for a table. The place was being run very well in managing the guests.

In the meantime browsed the country store looking at the new items. One thing I quickly noticed was the large assortment of decorative glitter globes. They were all over the store and like a challenge to find them all. The products change with the seasons and make sure to get here early before the main holidays like Halloween, Christmas and Easter otherwise only scraps left.

Once we were seated I ordered the 4 pc Southern Fried Chicken with Mashed Potatoes and Hashbrown Casserole. These were big pieces so took two home with me. The chicken had that dry crispy coating with soft moist chicken inside. It was very good and the sides too. It definitely has that country style charm where taste like used with real butter and sugar. The service has that small town diner feel and very friendly. Afterwards enjoyed sitting the rocking chairs...

We stopped here after a long day on the road. My husband and I were on a work trip and wanted a good hot meal before heading to our hotel. Our server was so bad he made me never want to return even though this is one of my favorite restaurants.

As we sat down I noticed he had given us breakfast menus even though it was 8:30 PM! I figured it was a mistake so I kindly asked for dinner menus to which he responded, “let me see if I can find any” when he brought them over he said, before you order let me ask the kitchen if they can make you dinner” I couldn’t believe he had even said that to us! I responded with a reluctant “okaaaaaay”.

The kitchen said they would make us whatever we ordered so we proceeded with our order. We both had tea to drink. Once our order came our server asked if we needed anything else so I requested more tea to which he responded, “oh we already threw out all of the tea since we’re getting ready to close” even though he had just filled up another tables drinks with tea!! I asked why they would have done that if there were still customers in the restaurant and he simply responded with “ it’s cause we’re getting ready to close, but I can bring you water if you want”

As my husband and I ate our server started sweeping around our table bumping my husbands chair a couple times with the broom which I thought was very rude and unnecessary. I had never had a server sweep around my table as I ate. He also kept reminding us that they would be closing soon as if implying that we should hurry up and finish our meal. I realize that we walked in close to closing time so I asked the hostess before she sat us if they were still serving dinner and she said,” yes of course ! Cmon in!” So I was just shocked and disappointed that we received the type of service we did once in the dining area. I realize our server was trying to get ready for closing and probably wanted to get home, but I also feel like he didn’t have to make us feel like serving us was a burden or like we were not welcomed ESPECIALLY after the hostess had assured us we were ok to dine at that time. The whole experience turned out to be the complete opposite of what I expected which was extremely disheartening after the long day we had. I had never ever felt that way at Cracker Barrel and we have been going there for years and have shopped plenty at their gift shop. I couldn’t believe the horrific experience we encountered all because of this server! I was too tired to speak with a manager and frankly didn’t have the energy to fight this one out at the restaurant so I opted to leave them a review instead. If you love Cracker Barrel STAY AWAY FROM THIS LOCATION or you might encounter this server who will make you never want to return...

Disappointing Experience at Cracker Barrel – A Decline in Service

My wife and I have been loyal customers at Cracker Barrel, dining there at least every other week and always enjoying both the food and the atmosphere. However, our recent visit was deeply disappointing, and it has left us questioning whether we will return.

Upon arrival, we stood at the hostess podium for about five minutes before anyone acknowledged us. It wasn’t even the hostess who eventually seated us, which was the first sign that something was off. After being seated, we waited another 15 minutes before anyone came by with menus. We were on the verge of leaving when our server finally arrived.

Throughout our meal, the service remained poor. We were not provided with napkins and had to track down a staff member ourselves to get some, as our server was nowhere to be found. When our food finally arrived, it was cold—an issue that, under normal circumstances, we would have brought up, but we ultimately decided to leave it alone.

Beyond the service at our table, the overall state of the restaurant was concerning. Many tables were left uncleared, and dirty dishes were piling up. Meanwhile, a younger manager was standing around talking with the waitstaff instead of ensuring that customers were being taken care of.

This location used to be excellent, and we never thought we would have to leave a review like this. We have not only dined here regularly but have also frequently purchased from the retail section. However, after this experience, we cannot justify spending our money here any longer.

We sincerely hope that Cracker Barrel management takes this review seriously. If there has been a change in leadership or a lapse in oversight, it is important to address these issues before more long-time customers are driven away. Our intent is not to criticize for the sake of complaining, but to express our disappointment and urge...