Cracker Barrel Old Country Store — Restaurant in Pineville

I came with my young children during a downpour to make a to-go order after an extremely long day of travel. The very first thing I noticed was the overwhelming urine smell right when you walk in the main store. Not in the vestibule (space between the doors). It was so strong that i avoided the area. There were hardly any patrons eating. And certainly no one in the store. We were not immediately welcomed, which was unusual for Cracker Barrel. Waited at the host stand while another worker stood in front of the cashier desk (we were 10’ away and clearly visible). She finally asked if I needed help. I mentioned that I’d like to make a to-go order. She didn’t move and said “oh they’ll be around soon.” Stood there for another minute. No host. The same cashier (still standing waiting for who knows what) asked me if I had seen the host come by. Of course not, I haven’t moved. I then asked to see a menu. She kindly obliged. We placed our order, was told that it would be “about 10 minutes”. We walked around the store expecting to hear my name. We waited for 40 minutes. I asked about our food at the 30’min mark. They had no idea. Three workers (two seem to be managers) did absolutely nothing during that time except chit chat openly and placed a few ornaments on a shelf. Not once did anyone apologize for the long wait time. Like I mentioned before, no one was eating. It’s not like there was a huge line. Once it finally arrived, I checked our food. We had everything. I could have walked out without paying at that point (maybe I should have) but I pulled my ticket out and got the attention of one of the managers that was standing nearby. I paid and was asked a million “do you have rewards with us?” “Have you seen our buy two get one free candy bar deal?”questions. As if I haven’t seen every single item in the store three times in the amount of time I waited for two kids meals and an entre. Additionally (and I would assume all Cracker Barrel’s deal with this issue) there is a large layer of dust all over the top shelf antiques.

We finally got back to our hotel just down the street and all of our food was very cold and drinks were watered down from melted ice. I guess I would avoid anything on this exit except getting gas in...

It was a "decent" visit (Aug 2022) considering the staffing levels they had. It was understaffed like most places nowadays, but it had light customer traffic because it was lunchtime on a Tuesday. I have no idea if it is tolerable at all on the weekends, but I highly doubt it. Our party of 2 had to wait awhile for the host to even see us waiting for a table because he was apparently the only one clearing & cleaning tables in the entire restaurant as well as seating patrons. Our waitress was training a new hire, but it was not too bad. Our food was correct but my roast beef was pretty cold even as it got to the table. Since that entree is already cooked, they probably cut it too early and just left it too long on a large plate with nothing else on with it to keep that single, small slice warm while the other food was prepared. I thought for the price of that entree it would have much more than one small slice that takes up a small third of the dinner-size plate. I didn't complain about the tiny serving or its cold temperature. I usually don't unless things are REALLY bad. The "trainer" gave us another table's bill that was for a party twice the size of ours and left. It took us quite awhile to get the correct one but the two of them didn't come back out from the kitchen for over 15 mins after they brought out our food. Once we got our correct bill, I was paying by gift card and the lady at the register had to type the card number & even scratch the pen number to enter it in the register bc she didn't know how to slide them through their machine like gift cards have been done there before. I ended up reading both gift card numbers off the back to her bc she was having a hard time reading & typing it into the register. I didn't mind helping her & it did at least work that way, but I was leary that it would initially. Overall the staff seemed pretty nice, so other than the cold entree and low staffing levels, it was a fairly decent lunch. I don't think I would go at a time that would have higher traffic though, after my last visit. I will probably do take-out to use up my other gift cards I have been given for...

I’ll try to make this short! The manager Keith is the best, but whoever the manager “Amber”is was absolutely nothing but a waste of time!!!!!! My recent experiences with Cracker Barrel haven’t been the best. Within the past 2 weeks I’ve ordered from this place three times. 1st time, I get home and discover that there is plastic in my gravy as I’m eating it so I called and spoke to “Keith” the next morning and he told me to come in and he’ll get me taken care of. I went in the very next morning and Keith was nothing but more than helpful but whoever made my corrective order, messed that one up as well by forgetting my two biscuits. I didn’t notice til I got home and I called and spoke to Keith about it and he said to come see him again next time. So about a week goes by and I decide “hey let’s try one more time” . I ordered the exact same thing yesterday 11/18/22 for me to get there and I made sure I checked my food before leaving this time to realize I was short on my pancakes. I ordered 4 and only had 2. I asked for a manager but Keith wasn’t there, it was some lady named “Amber” I believe, she wasn’t helpful at all. She came out after they got my order correct and told me “sorry, but yes that’s why we get our customers to check their orders before they leave so we can get it handled” First of all no y’all don’t because had I just got my bag and went home I would’ve found out for a third time that y’all messed my order up again!!!! So I said this is the third time this has happened in the last 2 weeks, can I get a refund or credit or something? This lady goes behind the counter and gives me 3 extra syrups for the inconvenience like what?????? And said is there anything else I can do for you? And I said nope but I will be leaving a review!!! She was not helpful at all. The other manager Keith is very helpful and seems to actually care about his customers but the other manager amber was absolutely a waste of my time. I love Cracker Barrel’s food so that’s why I keep ordering but it’s starting to become very...