As most negative reviews start out let the time old tale of "if zero stars was accepted" yada yada. What can be said of this Cracker Barrel location in particular? Well let's see, it is out right the poorest excuse for an establishment.
Let the public be aware as they have just failed their internal NSF health code inspection. As have many in Orlando's district.
Cleanliness is to the eye what their level of skill in service and teamwork holds underneath.
If you have dined at this location and at the point of checkout voiced your concerns or disgruntlements to the cashier and received a dismissive tone and response of "this will be your total" do not fret for the team that just served you receive the same lack of care and attention from their upper management. That is of course unless it's in regard to push sales and convince you whichever way to purchase their cold thinely sliced and slapped on portioned take home meals for $6 added to your bill.
Cracker Barrel is NOT your local country store there is no hospitality let alone an understanding of genuine southern hospitality and it is sadly no longer the establishment it used to be as a company entirely. Childhood gem ruined. It is in fact another run down corporate mass market that is serving you three day old pre-made and heated to order bread with a kitchen that would haunt your dreams and a veteran par 4 staff (that to put lightly) are those responsible for the years worth of crud and gunk in the back that inevitably you're consuming and digesting.. laughable at best.
Nothing in that kitchen is made from scratch on day of besides your eggs and those are still real only because of a company contract with their supplier.
Campfire back on the menu?! Well that campfire stew is the campfire you didn't purchase two days prior now made into a new entree.. cutting corners in the kitchen and cleaning but won't cut your lazy and disrespectful staff???
Do yourself a favor, eat anywhere else especially steering clear from this location in particular no matter visiting or residing here in Orlando Florida.
Par 4 servers are running the place into the ground with no genuine managing going on whatsoever.
They're versed in damage control and even that they can't do correctly. Understaffed, poorly managed if at all, disrespectful coworkers and severe lack of teamwork ethic. Hazardous levels of neglect in terms of basic health standards e.g. recently had to remove mold from their ice chest, staff not washing their hands at every dish pit drop off after handling dirty plates and previously half eaten food and utensils, lack of proper cleaning procedures in place or followed through on, latte machine has been properly cleaned once in three months of working at this location. There is an employee on staff with photographs of all of this evidence. Take caution if eating here, genuinely, they just rinse the tea bins out with hot water and sanitizer never once removing the three piece nozzle. Only God knows what crap you're truly consuming at this location.
None of this is "new" news either:
In 2006, the Department of Justice (DOJ) investigated Cracker Barrel after a lawsuit alleging racial discrimination. The investigation found evidence of discrimination in 50 restaurants across seven states, with managers often participating in or directing racist treatment of customers.
In 2024, a Cracker Barrel restaurant in Waldorf, Maryland, faced backlash after refusing service to a group of students with special needs.
And recently, "A wage and hour lawsuit alleges Cracker Barrel required their tipped employees to perform non-tip-producing job duties at the end of their shifts without providing them with minimum wage.
The Case: Frederick v. Cracker Barrel Old Country Store, Inc.
The Case No.: 3:23-cv-00813"
This location harbors bigots as well. Steer clear LGBTQ+ community!
If you enjoy poor service and reheated left overs come on down to the Barrel at Hunters Creek! This is a public service announcement as for the GM suggest he read "Unreasonable Hospitality"(: read more