Cracker Barrel Old Country Store — Restaurant in Fort Worth

As I have visited this restaurant multiple times since it opened years ago, I hate to leave this review but I've already emailed corporate and did not get a response. Had the most horrendous experience here on Thanksgiving Day. Even called two days before to try to make sure I had on my ducks in a row . I was told over the phone we have it all handled call us on Thanksgiving morning and everything will go perfect. I wanted to order one Thanksgiving meal to go. One plate. I started calling at 9:00 a.m. to pick up at 10:45 am. I was told I couldn't order until 10:30 and to use the app. Which I attempted to do and it would never go through after about 20 minutes of trying and driving to the store in the process, I gave up in called over 15 times, and someone finally answered. I was in extreme back pain this day and asked the lady on the phone if she could please take my credit card over the phone and if the food could be brought to my truck. She told me no because they already had too many orders in line. That I would have to come in the store and pay. So I got there and promptly went in, I was moved to three different lines to pay, again barely able to stand, the third line had at least 35 to 40 people in it went from the hostess stand to the back of the restaurant. I grabbed a server and asked her if there was any way for me to pay online as others were being told to do, she checked with a manager and I was told no. I again let her know that I was in pain and it was difficult for me to stand, she offered me a dining chair with no arms and I had to decline because I wasn't sure I could get up out of it. I held on to rocking chairs and the checker table and other patrons chairs as I stood in line to help me stand. I had tears running down my face and the employee who was in line in front of me to pay for her own food, graciously let me go ahead of her. I finally paid and at this time I've been in the restaurant almost an hour. I then went over to pick up my food which was not ready, and multiple people were waiting on their meals as well. the manager in charge of this station checked on my order two to three times with the kitchen and to my knowledge never got a reply. After waiting there for almost 45 minutes, I gave up and asked for a refund which that manager promptly gave me with an apology. This meal was for my 89-year-old aunt who is a shut-in, luckily the neighbors had brought her food. she did not go without but the system set up in this cracker barrel for Thanksgiving was just horrendous. I know that we're in a pandemic and everyone is running out of the house. I absolutely acknowledge all the extenuating circumstances that this was the most unorganized and unkind situation I've ever been in in a public establishment. I can only pray that for the next holiday you have a better system. And there was almost zero social distancing done, I feel like the restaurant and the store were all way...

1/15/2024 - Two-and-a-half years later and the one good thing I can say about this place is at least they are consistent. Consistently horrible and that is being nice. I ordered 2 Chicken fried steak dinners via Uber Eats. The overall time it took to get to me was great really faster then expected. The food quality, however, I honestly do not know how any employee who has in pride in their work would ever send what I received to a table or a delivery. Both orders were room temp and colder. There was not even the least bit of steam in the container. Even the gravy packages in it own containers seemed more like the came out of the fridge then a pot on the stove. I was also so disappointed in the chicken fried steak. I had never tried it before and should not have it is nothing but a frozen pre breaded nasty pressed meat. Take Dairy Queens steak fingers and give them a little sour taste and that's what you get. I ordered it with biscuits and corn bread and only got biscuits which tastes like soured Sour Dough Bread. The mashed potatoes were hard and dry with no flavor. I put the food thermometer to each item and here is what I got. Mashed potatoes - 81 Gravy - 84 Chicken Fried Steak - 83 Okra - 78 The Mac N Cheese - came in hottest at a whooping 91 Pathetic 5/30/21-I ordered a sangria at the price of $4.99 to receive a barely half full glass of a very bitter unpleasurable drink. The service was lacking to say the least when I received my food I got the sampler deal the meatloaf was incredibly burnt on the top. I found five small bones in my chicken and dumplings and my fried okra is cold and soggy. I asked for a glass of ice water three times and never received a glass of ice water. The food that I did receive was all very bland with absolutely no taste whatsoever no seasoning. I cannot see what the appeal of this place is and I would not recommend it to anybody nor do I have any intentions...

This was my first time ever trying Cracker Barrel, and unfortunately, it’ll also be my last.

To be fair, the check-in with the host went smoothly. We browsed the store while waiting, and that was the only great experience. However, I wasn’t aware that the hostess was also the one responsible for bringing us our utensils — which we didn’t receive until after the food was brought out and we had to ask for them.

Once seated, I ordered a strawberry lemonade. As I was mixing it, I noticed something black floating inside. I assumed it might be a strawberry seed and didn’t want to make a scene, so I just asked the server for a different drink. Still, it left me uneasy.

While waiting, we noticed several tables around us were given biscuits and cornbread. We were never offered any until after our food was already brought to the table, which felt like an afterthought. We weren’t sure if it was complimentary or just something that was overlooked.

Then the food arrived — again, without utensils. Once we were able to get silverware, I realized that my chicken fried chicken was actually chicken fried steak. My boyfriend had ordered the New York strip steak and shrimp combo, and his shrimp was missing.

My boyfriend had asked for a refill on his Dr. Pepper, and when it arrived, there was a piece of plastic film floating inside. There was absolutely nothing on our table that it could’ve come from. That was the cherry on top that ruined it for me.

We spoke to a young lady and explained everything that had happened, and asked if we could just leave. At that point, there were simply too many issues to try and salvage the experience.

Really disappointing visit. I had higher expectations, but after this, I won’t be returning to Cracker Barrel — not this location, and probably not any...