Cracker Barrel Old Country Store — Restaurant in Mount Juliet

So it has been 2 weeks since the last horrible visit to this Cracker Barrel, for which I rated this location as 1 star. This evening, we reluctantly returned and we did speak with the manager on duty about our last experience. Even though the restaurant was busy, he patiently took the time to listen. Our waitress was one of the newer waitresses, but she was excellent. She nailed every detail down to even the specific flavor of preserves we wanted with our cornbread. Even the 5-star waiters & waitresses tend to overlook that, but she nailed it! Our coffee was never empty. The obnoxious amount of cream my partner asks for was kept replenished without so much as a snicker or eye roll from the waitress. The food was perfectly prepared. And the manager surprised us ..... by not charging us for our dinners! We did not ask for that, nor were we expecting anything from him. Obviously, we were back to eat, so the manager knew that he hadn't lost our patronage... Honestly, I saw tears well up in my partner's eyes because we were so stunned. I did my time waiting tables in Nashville when I was a young adult. I also spent a good many years as an HR executive in several industries. I know how managers and employees are supposed to treat people, but rarely do I ever see it lived out in real life as I did today. This manager and waitress clearly understood how to value customers and how to turn a failure into an opportunity. I am changing my rating to 5 stars. I am really glad we decided to give this location another try. I hope that the manager working tonight is actively involved in training other managers. He needs to be. Thank you to Cracker Barrel, the manager on duty at 7pm, and our waitress who has 2 stars on her apron, but delivered 5 star service.

** Review from 2 weeks earlier.....*

We eat at Cracker Barrel a lot. We always order the grilled trout and it is fantastic. My friend's trout was served partially undercooked. My friend immediately told our waitress before he took a bite. She insisted that the trout was cooked and for him to see if he could eat it. He did eat one of the pieces, but the other piece he could not eat. Again, he asked the waitress if she could have it cooked a little longer. She asked the manager and then returned and said she would have to charge us for an extra piece of fish. We asked to see the manager. The manager came and said that he would have to charge us for another piece of fish because my friend had already eaten most of it. (These are thin pieces of fish. There isn't that much meat on them to begin with). Finally, after prolonged, really ignorant debate over a very inexpensive piece of fish, the manager agreed to "nuke" the fish for 7 minutes! Seriously!?! Can you imagine "nuking" a thin piece of fish for 7 minutes?? And who goes to Cracker Barrel for "nuked" food?!? We told him to keep the stupid fish and left. We love Cracker Barrel, but we aren't likely to go to this...

My boyfriend and I went here on Wednesday night, at the Cracker Barrel in Mt.Juliet.on August 23, 2023. We are from out of town and were her for my boyfriends law enforcement conferences. The hostess was very unfriendly and started talking to someone about who would take care of us. We were seated, but nobody ever spoke to us, we waited 25 minutes before anyone ever came to our table. The young lady who came was very pleasant and said they didn't know who was taking care of us because the waitress who had our table had gotten off already. Mind you, 25 minutes earlier upon arrival, they were trying to figure that out. She kindly took our order. The entire time we were eating, a waitress was on one side of us sweeping and another waitress on the other side of us was wiping off tables. They were talking over us, with a loud conversation about one being a senior in high school, one was in college, what to do on the weekend, should she work, maybe a double shift but she ask for Saturday off. It was just very rude. We had to share my glass of tea because they were out. I wasn't. very happy with the service, but the food was good. I believe in giving businesses a 2nd chance, which is what we did. I chalk this visit up to waitresses who are young and immature and haven't been taught organizational skills, ethics, professionalism. manners or how to respect others. The waitress only received a 15% tip because of this. We typically tip 20% plus. I will do another review before on our visit the following day. This visit deserved a 2 out of 5 for service and atmosphere

August 24th we gave it another shot for lunch. The hostess wasn't over joyed or friendly but once we were seated , all of that changed. The good was great! We met Dee Dee, our waitress. Dee Dee was awesome, she is the best waitress I've ever had at any cracker barrel. She brought our opinion of Cracker Barrel from a 2 to a 5. She...

Another disappointing visit! This location used to have great food and service, but after the last three visits with diminishing outcomes, this one will be the last. Apparently this realization is spreading. We arrived around 7:00PM on a Saturday night and the parking lot was one third full. My wife and I chuckled that maybe what we had experienced the last visit (one hour between ordering food and getting it) had not been rectified. Sadly, there was little improvement. We were seated immediately and the server alerted us that it was her second day. She did fine. She brought our order that the kitchen delivered to her without my cornbread and without my wifes fries. She informed us that the kitchen told her it was late and they were not cooking any more fries and did she want something else. All the food was on the table and NOW they want to know what she wants to substitute? I said it's only 7:30 and you can't cook fries? She returned a few minutes later and said they would be cooking more fries. Wife's burger was missing a few things, quickly remedied, but we were almost finished with dinner by the time the fries arrived. At one point we were the only folks on one entire side of the restaurant and many of the other tables had all the remaining dishes and trash on the tables for most of our time there. One customer refused to be seated in that area due to the mess and perceived uncleanliness. At checkout, the girl asked if everything was ok, I said not really, she took my money, never asked about the issue and never said thank you. Been a customer for many years, but not going back unless drastic changes implemented. Sorry to see Cracker Barrel in such...