Shoney's — Restaurant in Lebanon

Went in with my mother and disabled father who's on oxygen walking with a cane had to stand and wait well multiple servers walked around not one stopping to help. There where only 3 tables with people the lady that walked up to finally seat us after almost 20 minutes acted like it was killing her to do it . After ordering my food and the buffet for them I was holding my father's plate so he could pick what he wanted and was told I wasn't allowed at the bar with him since I didn't order it. I told her he has to have someone with him and can't carry his oxygen tank and cane and a plate. She acted like I was stealing food . After I got him sat down with his food a lady that claimed she was the manager walked up with a attitude and started in about me helping him . I lost my temper and told her where she can go and she said we needed to pay and leave . I told her when he's done eating we will leave not until she keeps herassing us and other elderly people in the restaurant when my mother spoke up and said we will never come back the lady said she was calling the police I told her to go ahead. When they finished eating I payed for their meals and told them I'm not paying for mine since it never came she tried to force me to pay for it. And I told her I never got a meal since you never brought my meal to me . All I ordered was a hamburger and fries and never got it only harassment from a server and the manager. You want to call and say I'm stealing I'll wait for the police since I never got the food why would I pay for it. The supposed owner / manager that said she owns the restaurant is a horrible hateful person who not only treats guests horribly...

OK. How can anyone give this Shoney's anything less than a 5 star review. I always wonder when I read reviews of a restaurant if the 5 star reviews are just from the workers, but I can promise you this is not the case with this review. I have been going to this Shoney's for almost a year now and the quality of the food has never changed one bit. I drive and hour and a half, from Sparta just to eat here. I was told to give this Shoney's a try and I am glad I did. I now meet my sisters here every other week just because the food is so fresh and good. The staff there are always so kind and we have gotten to know some of them by name. I have a Shoney's about 25 minutes from me in Crossville, and after trying it, I would never go back. The Shoney's in Lebanon (I have been told, is owned by a lady who is there a lot just to check on the quality of the food and the service) is by far the best Shoney's that I have ever been to. I am 70 years old and hate to waste my money on bad service or bad tasting food, but in all the times I have been going to this place, that has never happened. My friends laugh at me when I tell them that I drive an hour and a half every other week just to eat at Shoney's. But each time I head back home after we have had lunch, I always think that it was worth it. My sisters feel the same way even though their drive is much shorter. If you are ever passing by Lebanon, TN. on interstate 40 and wondering where to eat, then give it a try. You won't be disappointed. (Oh, and make sure you get the bar because the fried chicken is the best you have...

Stepping into Shoney’s after 35 years was like walking into a time capsule. The same red booths sat in their familiar rows, a little more faded but unchanged. The air carried that old, faint whiff of fried food, pulling me back to childhood dinners with my parents. The staff’s smiles were as warm as ever, a steady constant from decades past. Yet, some things hadn’t aged well. Hand sanitizer bottles cluttered every table and counter, an odd sight that felt out of place. The reason became clear in the bathrooms. The men’s room had a stale, sour smell, and my wife said hers was just as bad. They felt as grimy as I remembered from years ago, untouched by any real effort to clean or update. The state of the bathrooms raised a red flag about the food. In any restaurant, a dirty bathroom often hints at a kitchen in worse shape—it’s a rule of thumb I’ve always trusted. If the restrooms are neglected, still reeking like they did 35 years ago, I couldn’t help but wonder about the unseen corners of the kitchen. That lingering doubt made every bite less appetizing. The menu itself was another relic. The same burgers and meatloaf filled the pages, with only a few new items sprinkled in. I’d hoped for fresher, healthier options, but the offerings felt as dated as the decor. It’s no surprise Shoney’s seems to struggle, stuck in a loop of sameness. I’m not sure when I’d return. This place holds memories of family meals, but its unchanging state—down to the grime—feels more stale than comforting. Maybe I’ll check back in a few years, hoping for a sign...