Cracker Barrel Restaurant Review - Sanford, NC

3212 NC 87 Hwy S

Sanford, NC  27330

(919) 718-0033

Exterior View

Interior Decor

Old Country Store

French Toast with Maple Syrup - $7.69

Cute Maple Syrup Bottle

Double Meat Breakfast - $8.79

Biscuits & Gravy

Blueberry Muffin - $2.59

This is a review of a franchise restaurant called Cracker Barrel Old Country Store specifically for the one located in Sanford, North Carolina. Most people have heard of this restaurant since they are advertised all along major highways and they are located within a mile of the highway exits. They cater to travelers with a home cooked meal and a homey atmosphere which is welcome on a long drive. We have eaten at several locations on road trips and we occasionally drive to locations near our home. 

I woke up really hungry last Sunday and we were out of eggs and bacon so I asked Hubby if he wanted to have breakfast at a nearby Cracker Barrel. He thought it would be a nice change, so off we went. I decided the one in Sanford would be good since there is a new Lidl across the street and we needed to pick up some groceries. I wrote a review of the Sanford Lidl, so be sure to check it out next. 

We arrived at 10:30 am and I thought perhaps I'd order lunch but they don't serve it until 11 am. When you enter this restaurant you'll need to walk through the store toward the left rear corner to find the reception station. Their health inspection score is 99.5 which is excellent. There was no wait so we were immediately escorted to a table near the fireplace. It was a rare cold and rainy day so we thought it would be nice and warm since the fire was roaring, but it wasn't. It felt like they had the air conditioning on which they may have a few days prior when it was thirty degrees warmer. Maybe someone forgot to switch it to heat. There was an awful draft from the ceiling fans and employees constantly rushing past our table. Though we were near the fireplace we couldn't see it since the people in the tables nearest it were blocking the view. Almost every table was occupied. Every time we visit a Cracker Barrel they are packed with people. Between the travelers and the locals, it's always busy. The waitress took our drink order while passing by and then we waited for about five minutes to place our entree orders. The drinks were brought out in a timely manner though the food and drinks aren't brought out by the waitresses. They have many employees that just deliver food and drinks to the tables. My Orange Juice was cold and tasty though it did have pulp in it which I'm not a fan of. It took twenty-five long minutes for our food to arrive and it didn't arrive hot. Both our meals were either warm or barely warm and with the cold breeze from the fans, it was cold by the time we were finished eating. I ordered the French Toast which was tasty, but the syrup quickly gave me a stomach ache so I couldn't finish it. On the menu, it said 100% Pure Maple Syrup, but the bottle in fine print actually says "55% Pure Maple Syrup & 45% Cane Syrup". I was happy to see that they warmed up the glass bottle so the syrup was warm though it would have been nice it was hot instead. I purchased a blueberry muffin that I planned to take home and have for breakfast the next day. As shown above, it's not very appetizing, it was served on its side and part of the top is the proper color for a muffin while the other part looks burned. It tasted ok and it had lots of blueberries in it, but it didn't have the texture that I like.  My favorite blueberry muffin is from Winstons. Oh my, they are so incredibly scrumptious and I crave them all the time. Next time I'll just skip the muffin and purchase a nicer looking one at Lidl. Hubby ordered the Double Meat Breakfast with bacon, eggs, sausage, biscuits, and grits. I took home the biscuits and had them for two snacks. They were tasty, but I prefer a more flakey biscuit and I found they needed some salt. Hubby's eggs were cooked just as he asked but the sausage patties were so small and the bacon wasn't crisp. Strangely the food was placed on the plate to one side so it looked like a bunch of food was missing. The menu photo looks so much more appetizing and the slice of orange was missing. He said the grits were barely warm, grits are supposed to be served hot. The waitress wasn't very attentive, we had to flag her down several times. 

Our bill was brought when I was about halfway through eating my food, that's a pet peeve of mine, I hate to be rushed. Not that you have to go back to the store to pay a cashier. I checked out what they had to offer in the store on the way out. I didn't find anything I fancied though I have bought some adorable home decor in the past. There was a line for lunch when we left around 11:30 am. While we give the food only three out of five stars, we plan to return for lunch instead of breakfast. We really enjoy the homey atmosphere and the lunch entrees are tastier. Plus they offer cornbread to eat while you are waiting for your entrees to arrive so the wait doesn't feel so long. I absolutely love their Wednesday Special Chicken Pot Pie. Sadly, I'm rarely able to get there early enough prior to them selling out. On the other days of the week, I order the Chef Salad, Fried Chicken Salad or the Catfish Platter. Are you a fan of Cracker Barrel, what's your favorite entree?

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