Is there a better home cooking cafeteria, restaurant in the area?, if so please tell me! I've been going here since as long as I can remember. It was originally in the old Gaston Mall off Cox Road. On Sat 10/18/25, we had a small family gathering here at the recommendation of my Nephew Sean we met up for a late lunch and there was six of us. So many good comfort food options. Today I had the baked whiting fish with fried Okra. Everyone got something different and everyone just raved about the food quality. The fried chicken, the roast beef and the meat loaf were all crowd pleasers. Since opening in 1973, this place has managed to stand the test of time....and COVID! The Staff is great, very welcoming. Still family owned and operated, please check them out. read more

I'm disappointed. Been coming ( mostly for pick-up) for awhile now. Never had rubbery chicken in my chicken and dumplins. The banana pudding tasted "different" ( not in a good way). The presentation wasn't the same. This is the very first time I felt compelled to write a review. That's how disappointed I was this week ( And I was just there last week, and it was decent). read more

Jackson's Cafeteria is a decent place to eat but the food is not very great. I think this place is best suited for the elderly because the food is country cooking that would tickle the fancy of older generations. The food is not as relevant as buffet places such as golden corral. The servers are usually friendly and there is a lot of space inside. read more

I absolutely love this restaurant's homestyle cooking. They provide some of the best homestyle cooking in the metro that I've had to date. Their wait staff are always amazing and have positive attitudes and if you choose to dine-in, the location's interior is always very upkept. I would highly recommend this restaurant to locals as well as out-of-towners looking for a restaurant that isn't your typical generic branch. Prices are also very reasonable in this location. read more

I love this place! The people are so friendly, clean inside, and the food is so good! You can't get home cooked food like this many places anymore. Plus, the added nostalgia of a place so like the J&K Cafeteria I went to so much as a kid just takes it over the top! read more

Jackson's Cafeteria - My friend and I grabbed a quick lunch yesterday! A lot of good food for the money!! - Cafeteria Near Me - Gastonia, North Carolina

I typically order the baked chicken and find it tasty, but last night we decided to have the meatloaf which wasn't satisfying. Additionally, the HVAC air ducts were so dirty that it put my wife off from eating. read more

The food was good and they give you a lot of food. The staff was nice and the ambiance was good.

Cafeteria food never appealed to me much, but i do love that Hambrosia Salad they got with the marshmallows. Turnip Greens are adequate and menu seems overall reasonably priced. Can not vibe with the chicken fried steak. Broccoli casserole was way too watered down. Who would do that a cow? Its a crime on a plate. Bit of a local staple with the older crowd I have noticed. read more

Jackson's Cafeteria - Cafeteria Near Me - Gastonia, North Carolina

Came around 11:30 Food was great, waitress was so nice. Greens were great and you could definitely feel the southern warmth. 9.7/10 would come again and do recommend! read more

This food was very mediocre. So here's what I thought. 1. The sugar free strawberry cake was actually pretty good. The crust was awesome to be sugar free. 2. I mean you can't mess up corn. A little dash of salt, a couple shakes of the pepper, and the corn was actually pretty good. 3. The mashed potatoes was bland as can be. It was almost like they made them from Idaho instant mashed potatoes. 4. The Salisbury steak, that was covered in gravy, was not appetizing at all. Once again, another food item that lacked flavor. I think somebody need to rework this whole recipe before serving this again. read more

Jackson's Cafeteria - Sugar-free strawberry pie, cream corn, Salisbury steak over mashed potatoes - Cafeteria Near Me - Gastonia, North Carolina

They have pretty good service, but the food isn't fit for a dog. Roast beef was mushy and gravy tasted like water, flour and browning, broccoli casserole tasted like they ran it through a blender . Wasted $12, went straight into the garbage. read more

Jackson's Cafeteria - Jacksons Cafeteria food and menu - Cafeteria Near Me - Gastonia, North Carolina

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Good food. The Salisbury steak was tough and very salty. Stuffing, Mac and cheese good, cornbread muffin was good as well. A bit pricey.

can't really say as I actually remember being in an actual cafeteria since high school, fairly certain that I have but kinda fuzzy on the details... regardless, we were cafetering it up Saturday in Gastonia. windy, wet, and cold and possibly running late but not excessively so. still, we needed sustenance but wanted to get in, get fed, and get out in a reasonable time and by chance we ended up here, in front Jackson's Cafeteria! who'd have thunk it? after a short hike back to the serving line you grab a tray and some flatware and pick your portions on the way back towards the dining room starting with dessert and finishing at bread with meats, mains, salads, and sides in between priced as marked (Pro Tip: the daily specials include two veggies except for lunch on Saturday) and if you have questions about what's what just ask. get your total at the end of the line and pay on the way out. nifty... today's fare was roast chicken - dark, 7-layer salad, corn, slice of pie and a roll plus coffee. and MLB had fried fish special with carrots and green beans plus deviled eggs, jalapeno corn bread, and tea... not real adventurous or exciting but filling and tasted alright which was the goal today ;-) read more

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Love the food service and overall vibes of the establishment. owners and staff are super friendly and the food is such good southern cooking

Good food. Healthy food to pick from at the line. Inexpensive compared to fast food. No waitress fee. Baked chicken is seasoned and very good compared to fast food. read more

First I have to say we thought this place had to be good they always seem to be busy so we decided to go here. When we walked in we had no clue where to go, I thought we walked in the wrong door. I have to say it was a long walk just to get to where you start getting your food. It is cafeteria style and it's all per piece what you get. I was a bit confused because if you wanted a dinner you just pay per piece unless they have a special of the day then everything is included in one price. Not a fan of eating this way. They stand behind the counter asking what you want before you even get to where you look. I felt pressured to order and order fast even though no one was behind me. So going through the line we decided to get deviled eggs to share. I got baked chicken, asked for a breast. I had çarrots and green beans. The other meal was Mashed potatoes with gravy, corn with some sauce a piece of bread and meatloaf.i started to get worried when the guy behind the counter had to use a electric knife, looked like a saw to cut through the meatloaf. We both got water. So there is a girl who sits at the end and does a ticket up for you with the food. We had no clue what to do , I started to pay and she said you pay after you eat It Would be nice maybe to have a sign of the process because I felt stupid for not knowing. When we sat down I made a comment on how small my chicken breast was for over $4!! And each side was $1.99. The deviled eggs were actually not too bad. The mashed potatoes, not sure what to think, almost a instant mashed taste with a gravy that is hard to explain how horrible tasting it was, no taste to the potatoes other wise. The corn was not bad, kind of a buttery taste, hard to mess up corn. The Carrots not too bad, the green beans were so salty!!! It was like someone dumped a salt shaker full in as they were heating up. The meatloaf was almost $6, I had to taste, it was so nasty I literally spit it back out!! I am not joking it was gross. The flavor and texture was unlike any meatloaf I have ever had. The piece of chicken I had was dried out and stringy I just couldn't eat it. We left so disappointed. Shocked at how many people actually went there and ordered take out. When we went to pay the cashier said we could have gave back what we didn't like and get something else. It was a bit too late at this point, she did say stop back and try us again. I honestly doubt we ever would. There are other places in the area, this just happened to be what we decided on we figured would be fast because we had a long ride home. We just weren't fans and don't recommend it unless you just want something fast but even then think again. I just can not say either of us enjoyed it and still don't feel it was worth the money. We won't go back. read more

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Yes there was a lot of older individuals here but I don't mind that one bit. It was pretty quiet inside for the most part so how can you beat that. My boyfriend got to see me pig out since I've been craving food like this. Thanks to him I wound up in a food coma after eating majority of my food. read more

Jackson's Cafeteria - Cafeteria Near Me - Gastonia, North Carolina

Jackson's is the premier place for cafeteria-style dining in the Gastonia region. Service is friendly and prompt. Prices are average, and the selection can't be beat. Plenty of parking. Open seven days a week. Specials each day. read more

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Wicked Awesome Food and Service ! Fresh Food, clean setting what's not to love Thank You ! read more

I've just enjoyed some really good Chicken & Dumplings,rice with chicken gravy, green beans,buttered rolls and of course when at Jackson's you've got to have the sweet tea. Jackson's is one place I could literally have anything on the menu and leave satisfied. I read more

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I have yet to visit this establishment, however, based on the reviews and things I have heard about this restaurant, I can indeed confirm that this is the most horrid place to spend money. As a student in the public school system, I can confirm that school food looks far more appetizing than the abominations served here. I've never been more horrified and disgusted by merely looking at images of food. I was simply appalled to learn that this establishment has been open for over 40 years. I cannot comprehend how this restaurant has not gone out of business yet, especially after the pandemic. At first, I thought it was just the meat and main dish items that appeared to be unedible. I was wrong. Upon seeing the wretched banana pudding sold here, I was met with sheer horror and disgust. I thought banana pudding was a simple dessert to make, something impossible to mess up. I cannot fathom how this restaurant managed to create such a repulsive, stomach-turning dessert. How does one manage to create green banana pudding? Please do not waste your money at this restaurant. Literally any other place is better than this. read more

Jacksons continues to be one of the best home cooked meals in Gaston County. Huge selection and very nice people serving it up cafeteria style. Also the best ice tea in NC. read more

Jackson's Cafeteria - Meatloaf, stuffing, broccoli casserole. Don't forget to grab a couple of pieces of fatback at the register! - Cafeteria Near Me - Gastonia, North Carolina

The food is okay nothing to brag home to your mother about! My husband purchased two dinners from this restaurant for Father's day last year. The dinners were not good at all so he called and spoke to one of the managers there. His solution was for him to come and pick up two dinners for replacement no charge. Well, when I arrived at the location and was directed to one of the managers he said he had to talk to his brother. Well, well he all of a sudden had a short term memory lost. Made me seem as if I was trying to get a free meal! I immediately walked out and was seeing how ignorant people can be and not care about the way they treat their customers. Well, Jackson brothers, I had planned on having a surprise as birthday party for my spouse a party of 75, not that you care. After, the way I was treated I would never step foot in this establishment because they are liars and do not stand by their word. Learn to be honest! read more

Great swt tea. Broccoli salad was delightful. Side salad and ranch so tasty. Pecan pie was one of the best. Strawberry cobbler left me longing for more. Fried fish had deliciously homemade tartar sauce to dip with, & chicken tenders were great with their honey mustard. Green beans are delicious, even my 18 month old ate it all. Chicken and dumplings were good, especially loved how soft the dough was. The mashed potatoes were good, but I've never seen a gravy like theirs, jelly like texture, but not bad. The macaroni was ok. My husband liked it more. Great size yeast roll. Deviled eggs were tasty. Great meal to share after a long morning of Xmas shopping with plenty of leftovers. Can't wait to return with our 6 year old boy. Could eat a full tray loaded with just dessert options! I won't, but it's so good I'd want to, thankfully their are sugar-free options as well. I would next make room for their roast bf & ham if it's available. Love that they have beets, it is so important & great for you. The decor this time of year was so festive and pretty, but the warm, delicious aroma is what really captures you, then pulls you all the way in, & they absolutely did not dissapoint. Thank you for such a superb option. This was our 1st time since moving from clt. read more

Stop here by chance. Me and son actually really enjoyed this. Gave me nostalgia two meals for $22. Can't beat it.

Everything was great as always! I had the meatloaf, mashed potatoes, cream style corn, mac and cheese, cornbread muffin and banana pudding.

I'd a good ol school cafeteria is what you're looking for...this is it. It's exactly what one would expect. My food was good. The baked chicken moist and tasty but I'd forgo the gravy next time. My greens tender and I added the sport pepper soul to it. It's worth a visit. read more

Talk about being taken back to Grandma's kitchen!! Jackson's did just that. I enjoyed chicken n dumplins (yes that's how it's spelled in the south, Lima beans, and macaroni and cheese (it's a veggie down here). Don't forget a .59 roll and one of all the wonderful desserts available on the line. Everything was so good it made my tongue fly out of my head and slap my brains out! I can't wait to get back to Jackson's. Years of tradition and wonderful down home cookin! read more

I am a handicapped woman who has to pay to get my food picked up. On Wednesday Oct 28,2020 I sent for Stew beef over rice and a side of dressing. I taste it and the rice was undercooked. Couldn't get it taken back until the next day which their menu changed. They don't refund a plate at $9.88. They only offer something else which could be cheaper or to wait until the following Wednesday which I'd have to pay someone again. read more

I ordered Thanksgiving meals this morning online and thought (based on website) that they offered curbside pickup. I was wrong. I had to go inside, all the way through the restaurant, which was packed with people who were not wearing masks because they were eating. There was a lot of confusion amongst the staff about where the online orders were, so had to wait in midst of tables for about 10 minutes. One of the staff by the orders had his mask below his nose. Once I got my order, I left as quickly as possible to avoid getting COVID. When I got home, I discovered that about half my order was missing--including MY meal. I have tried to call for the past hour, but I can't get through because their phone line is constantly busy, so I guess I will have to dispute the credit card charge to get my money back for missing food. There is NO WAY I would go back into that super spreader situation!!! I am debating call the health department. read more

Easter lunch was not good. We had a takeout order, ham with sweet potato casserole and potato salad. The ham was not the best quality. Certainly not the previous year's brand. Sweet potato casserole had great marshmallow topping but the sweet potato must have been too large..too fibrous ! The potato salad had potatoes that were not cooked., crunchy not creamy. I was not pleased at all. My second order was completely missing the chicken. Creamed corn was very good as were the potatoes with gravy. We took our order and didn't check to ensure it was complete. Certainly not the Sunday dinner I expected! The only plus was the pecan pie! It was great. read more

Me and my hubby stopped by here today to get a bite to eat while our car was in shop. I had the baked chicken, Mac and cheese, dressing, side salad and roll. Let me say first that the Mac and cheese looked really good but OMG, eating it was like eating straight salt. Seriously I think either someone salted it and then forgot they did and salted it again. It was so horrible. Worst I've ever had in my life. On my baked chicken I got the dark meat but it was really really dry. If it was dry I can only imagine what the white meat would have been like. The dressing was cornbread dressing and it was just a clump of gritty , dry cornbread. Totally inedible. Needless to say all I ate was my side salad and roll. My hubby has roast beef, green beans, and deviled eggs. The roast beef was in his words "like eating mulch". My hubby never leaves food on plate and especially meat but he left this. It looked really dry. I would not recommend this place. Our meal was $23 and we left 90% of it on our plates. read more

Jackson's Cafeteria - Roast beef - Cafeteria Near Me - Gastonia, North Carolina

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My husband and I seldom go to a cafeteria because, after all, there just aren't that many of them around. But my husband heard only good things from others about this Jackson's Cafeteria so two weeks ago we decided to investigate. We arrived around 5:30 p.m. on a Friday night and were directed how to get to the cafeteria line by a very nice lady who jokingly told us we'd be seeing her again when it came time to pay. :) You enter through the front door and go straight until you can't go straight anymore. Then you round the only corner to the left before seeing the food and the line area waaaay "down there" at the end of that hallway. Lol. It's been years since we've been to a cafeteria so we forgot to NOT reach for any item that isn't right up front. But one of the ladies working there very nicely reminded us that all we had to do was ask one of them to get the item we wanted...and she did this nicely without causing us any embarrassment. THANK YOU! Lol. After picking up our trays and reading the Specials listed on the blackboard, the first thing facing us were the DESSERTS. Lots of desserts! Good "impulse" planning! Lol. Even I picked up a nice slice of custard pie, and I don't usually eat desserts! Then there were salads, coleslaw, soups, Jalapeno corn bread, rolls, and various entrees. (Butter/margarine packets are down by the register as are the drinks, silverware, straws, napkins, and other necessary items.) That particular night we had our choice of Country Fried Steak, Fried Talapia (one of the Specials), Chicken Tenders, Meatloaf, and Melt-In-Your-Mouth-No-Knife-Needed Roast beef with gravy! There were also Lima Beans, Corn, Green Beans and a few other veggies as well as a Sweet Potato Casserole...and real potatoes with lumps! :) There were more things but my focus was on wanting something "fried" like regular Fried Chicken which was not being offered that particular evening. So I reluctantly "settled" for the Fried Talapia Special. WOW! These seven fillets piled on my plate were seasoned and fried PERFECTLY! And the tarter sauce was better than how I make mine. Lol. Now, as a New Englander who admits to being a Know-It-All snob when it comes to my opinion of seafood, I took one bite out of that first fillet and my unimpressed face immediately changed into the biggest smile I could muster. I couldn't get enough of that fish! (And Talapia has never been a favorite of mine! But it sure is, here!) In the meantime, my husband was happily devouring that Roast Beef, all the while exclaiming how tender the slices were. He never once used a knife! All in all, the food, the portions, the prices, and the service were GREAT, with the drinks being refilled constantly by a cafeteria lady who walked around the room, making sure everyone had filled glasses, more coffee, etc. Yes, we'll definitely be back! read more

Treated the Mr. to lunch for his BD.. the broccoli casserole was not good at all, the chicken was tasteless, the roll top hard as a brick but the dressing was good. read more

We have been coming to Jackson's for almost 20 years. The food is great and the staff is friendly.

Wonderful personal service, even being a cafeteria. A rare traditional cafeteria where the homemade food and old-fashioned good service never disappoints! read more

I try and take my Mom out to eat once a week and I let her choose where we go. More often than I care for, we end up at Jacksons Cafeteria. Now don't get me wrong, I like cafeteria food, just not Jacksons. I don't know what people see in this place as every time I go there, its busy. The food is really not that good, I always end up sending something back because its over cooked, to salty ect. And as far as prices, I think its a little over priced for cafeteria food. The only reason I ever go here is because Mom likes to eat here. If it were up to me, I would never set foot in this place. I think the next time we go out to eat, I'll choose where we go, and it aint gonna be Jacksons! read more

I remember when my parents used to love this place and I turned my nose up at it. That was as recently as about 2 years ago and now I can't get enough. I don't think it's the restaurant that changed, it was my appreciation for homestyle food. Grab a tray and some silverware and slide down the line making your selections like you did in school, only with far more and better choices. First are salads...garden, macaroni, weird pea salad...all kinds of salad. Next in line are desserts. Yeah it's a little weird layout. There are several different pies including sugar free, cakes, banana pudding, and cobblers. If they have strawberry cobbler you should get that. Next up are the meats. Everything rotates but you can usually expect a meatloaf, some sort of fried chicken, both fried and baked fish, and maybe some spaghetti or chicken n dumplings. My favorite - the side dishes. Mac and cheese, creamed corn, carrots, pintos, green beans, fried okra, dressing, mashed potatoes and gravy, cabbage and probably twice that. Finally we have breads. I always say I'm not going to get bread because I already got so much but it calls my name. They have rolls the size of my head that glisten with butter, really good mexican cornbread, and other assorted breads that I never choose because those I mentioned are so good. Highlights: strawberry cobbler, mac and cheese, dressing, okra, and chicken with white gravy. Omg last time I had it, it was better than my momma's fried chicken. read more

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This restaurant is always our go to when eating in Gastiona. We love the cafeteria style and the food is always consistent. We love the value of eating at Jackson's. read more

Horrible staff, decent food. Asking questions are met with attitude and angry faces. Your great chicken and dumplings dont make up for your poor staff of angry elderly "I dont care" attitude. read more