The Cracker Barrel menu with prices starts near $9 for a pancake or French toast breakfast and tops out around $16 for a country dinner. Family Meal Baskets cost $36.99 to $44.99, and breakfast is served all day.
Cracker Barrel publishes no single national price list, because costs shift by state and store. These figures come from third-party price trackers reviewed in 2026 and from the chain’s August fall announcement. Read each number as a typical price.
This guide covers every major menu section, from country dinners and sides to kids meals and take-home baskets. It also flags the fall specials ending October 18 and shows how to spend less without skipping the food people come for. Skim the tables first if you are in a hurry. Read the notes underneath if you want to know which plates give the best value and which sides matter most, whether you dine alone or with a crowd.
Cracker Barrel Menu Prices at a Glance
Most plates land between $9 and $16, sides run about $4.99 each, and bottomless coffee or sweet tea sits near $2.99. The table below lists the items guests order most often, with typical 2026 prices.
| Menu item | Typical price |
|---|---|
| Old Fashioned Pancake Breakfast | $9.99 |
| Old Timer’s Breakfast | $11.49 |
| Meatloaf Dinner | $13.99 |
| Country Fried Steak Dinner | $14.99 |
| Sunday Homestyle Chicken Dinner | $15.99 |
| Single country side | $4.99 |
| Kids meal | $6.99 to $7.99 |
| Double Chocolate Fudge Coca-Cola Cake | $7.49 |
| Meatloaf Family Meal Basket | $36.99 |
| Fall crispy homestyle chicken meal | From $9.99 |
Why Prices Differ From Store to Store
Cracker Barrel restaurants are mostly company-operated, so price gaps between stores stay narrow. Even so, trackers report that California, the Pacific Northwest, the Northeast, and Hawaii can run 10 to 20 percent above the national average.
Trade coverage in mid October 2026 noted that restaurant menu prices are rising faster than general inflation. Any printed price list is therefore a snapshot, so check the Cracker Barrel app for your store before you order.
The Fall Promotion Ends October 18
The fall lineup launched on August 18 and runs through October 18, 2026. It includes crispy homestyle chicken meals from $9.99 and several apple items, so anyone who wants them has only a few days left.
The $9.99 chicken meal comes with two sides and a choice of buttermilk biscuits or corn muffins. The sandwich version uses a toasted buttermilk bun with pickles and mayo, plus one side. Launch coverage only listed the starting price.
Cracker Barrel Breakfast Menu
Cracker Barrel serves its full breakfast menu from open to close, every day. That all-day format has defined the chain since its first store opened in Lebanon, Tennessee, in 1969, and it remains the main reason many guests choose it.
Breakfast plates arrive with a buttermilk biscuit, real butter, homemade jam, and apple butter. A typical plate lands between $9 and $14 before tax and drinks. The table shows what each plate includes, based on 2026 tracker listings.
| Breakfast plate | Typical price | What is on the plate |
|---|---|---|
| Country Morning Breakfast | $10.99 | 2 eggs, bacon or sausage, hashbrown casserole, biscuit |
| Old Timer’s Breakfast | $11.49 | 2 eggs, bacon or sausage, grits or fried apples, biscuit |
| Smokehouse Breakfast | $12.49 | 2 eggs, smoked sausage, country ham, hashbrown casserole, grits, biscuit |
| Country Boy Breakfast | $13.49 | 2 eggs, bacon, sausage links, ham, grits, 3 pancakes, biscuit |
| Sunrise Sampler | $13.99 | 2 eggs, 2 meats, hashbrown casserole, grits, 3 pancakes, biscuit |
Old Timer’s Breakfast
The Old Timer’s Breakfast is the plate most people picture when they think of Cracker Barrel. Two eggs cooked your way sit beside bacon or sausage, grits or fried apples, a buttermilk biscuit, and homemade jam.
At about $11.49, it is the plate that anchors the breakfast board, with a side and a biscuit included. Trackers rank it as the most ordered item on the menu, which explains why the chain treats it as its flagship.
Which Breakfast Plate Gives the Best Value
The common advice is to order the Old Timer’s because it is the classic. The numbers argue for a small upgrade, since Country Boy costs $2 more and adds two extra meats and three pancakes.
Sunrise Sampler adds $2.50 over the Old Timer’s and puts hashbrown casserole and pancakes on the same plate as the eggs. If two people split it with an extra biscuit, the per-person cost drops below a single Old Timer’s.
Vegetarian and Lighter Breakfast Choices
The easiest vegetarian breakfast is a pancake or French toast plate with the bacon or sausage skipped. Hashbrown casserole and fried apples can fill out the plate, though cross-contact on shared cooking surfaces is possible.
Fried apples and grits give a lighter plate a sweet or savory anchor at no extra cost. Butter touches the griddle, and most baked items contain dairy or egg, so strict vegans should not assume a breakfast item is dairy-free.
Uncle Herschel’s Favorite and the Classics
Uncle Herschel’s Favorite is a breakfast plate named for the chain’s longtime mascot, the man leaning on a barrel. It is served all day like the rest of breakfast, though its exact build can differ by store.
The trackers reviewed here list no firm price for this plate, so treat any figure you see online with caution. Confirm the current price in the app, and ask your server which sides come with it.
The name carries extra weight after 2025. In August of that year Cracker Barrel unveiled a logo that dropped the barrel and the man leaning on it. After public backlash, the company reversed course in September 2025.
That reversal matters for readers because it shows how protective the chain is of its identity. The core menu has changed slowly, and the classic plates below are the ones regulars expect to find at every store.
| Classic plate | Typical price | What is on the plate |
|---|---|---|
| Sausage ‘n Biscuit | $8.99 | 2 biscuits, sausage gravy or patties, 2 eggs, hashbrown casserole or grits |
| Eggs in the Basket | $10.49 | 2 eggs baked into sourdough, bacon or sausage, hashbrown casserole or fried apples |
| Grandpa’s Country Fried Breakfast | $13.49 | Country fried steak, sawmill gravy, 2 eggs, hashbrown casserole, grits, biscuit |
Sawmill gravy is the peppered white gravy that tops country fried steak and sausage biscuits. It is a Southern kitchen term worth knowing, because it shows up on breakfast plates and on dinners alike across the menu.
Pancakes and French Toast
Pancakes and French Toast cover the sweet side of the all-day breakfast menu. Most plates include two eggs and bacon or sausage, so they eat more like a full meal than a stack of pancakes on its own.
| Sweet breakfast | Typical price |
|---|---|
| Momma’s French Toast Breakfast | $9.49 |
| Old Fashioned Buttermilk Pancake Breakfast | $9.99 |
| Cinnamon Roll Pie French Toast | $10.49 |
| Wild Maine Blueberry Pancakes | $11.49 |
| Pecan Pancakes (full stack) | $11.99 |
| Stuffed Cheesecake Pancakes | $11.99 |
Momma’s French Toast is the cheapest plate in this group at about $9.49. It uses thick-cut sourdough with a dusting of powdered sugar, plus two eggs and a choice of bacon or sausage on the side.
Pecan Pancakes are the most ordered specialty stack, according to trackers. Toasted pecans come loaded into the three pancakes, which helps explain why the plate usually costs about $2 more than the plain pancake breakfast.
New Fall Apple Breakfasts
Cracker Barrel added Sweet Cream Caramel Apple Pancakes and French Toast to its fall menu. Both arrive with fried cinnamon apples on top, finished with caramel drizzle and vanilla cream sauce, and both are limited to the season.
Each fall plate is served with two eggs and a choice of bacon or sausage patties. The launch announcement did not list a price, so expect them to land near the other specialty plates until you see your store’s menu.
Country Dinner Plates
Country dinners are the lunch and dinner backbone of the menu. Each plate comes with a choice of three country sides and either biscuits or cornbread, a format Southern cooks have long called a meat-and-three.
| Country dinner | Typical price |
|---|---|
| Chicken ‘n Dumplings | $13.49 |
| Country Fried Chicken Strips | $13.49 |
| Meatloaf Dinner | $13.99 |
| Hand-Breaded Fried Chicken Tenderloins | $13.99 |
| Hamburger Steak | $13.99 |
| Smothered Chicken | $14.49 |
| Country Fried Steak Dinner | $14.99 |
| Roast Beef Dinner | $15.49 |
| Sunday Homestyle Chicken Dinner | $15.99 |
| Pot Roast Dinner | $15.99 |
The Hidden Value in Three Sides
Sides cost $4.99 each on their own. Three of them add up to $14.97, which is about the same as the full price of a country dinner. In practice, the entree is nearly free once you count the sides.
That math changes how to order. Every side carries the same $4.99 price, so the smart picks are the ones you would be happiest to eat, such as the hashbrown casserole and the mac and cheese.
Country Fried Steak Dinner
Country Fried Steak is the most ordered dinner. The hand-breaded steak arrives under sawmill gravy at about $14.99. Trackers list it as a best seller because it pairs well with heavy, creamy sides like mac and cheese.
Meatloaf is one of the cheaper meat plates at roughly $13.99, and trackers call it a Tuesday tradition at many stores. Pot Roast and Sunday Homestyle Chicken cost about $2 more, so the savings add up for a group.
Crispy Homestyle Chicken Varieties for Fall
Besides the original crispy homestyle chicken, the fall menu added four varieties. Maple Bacon comes with melted Colby cheese, crispy bacon, maple glaze, and ranch drizzle. BBQ Smokestack adds bacon, fried onions, Colby cheese, and barbecue sauce.
Nashville Hot uses the brand’s signature spicy coating. Honey Butter gets a sweet drizzle on the hand-breaded chicken. These are limited-time items that rotate off after October 18, so order soon if any of them appeals to you.
Sandwiches and Lighter Plates
Sandwiches and lighter plates cost less than the country dinners and most arrive with steak fries. They suit a shorter visit or a lunch break, and they work well for anyone who wants a smaller meal at a lower price.
| Sandwich or plate | Typical price |
|---|---|
| Cup of Country Vegetable Soup | $5.49 |
| Grilled Cheese Sandwich | $8.49 |
| BLT Sandwich | $8.99 |
| Country Fried Steak Sandwich | $10.99 |
| Sourdough Patty Melt | $10.99 |
| Buttermilk Crispy Chicken Sandwich | $11.49 |
The Grilled Cheese is the cheapest sandwich at about $8.49 and uses a three-cheese blend on thick sourdough. The BLT adds applewood-smoked bacon on Texas toast at $8.99. Both come with a side of steak fries.
The Buttermilk Crispy Chicken Sandwich is the priciest here at about $11.49. It stacks a hand-breaded chicken breast with pickles on a buttermilk bun, finished with Cracker Barrel sauce and typically served with steak fries.
The cup of country vegetable soup is a quiet bargain. At about $5.49 it comes with cornbread or a biscuit and counts as a starter, or as one of the three sides on a country dinner.
Cracker Barrel Country Sides
Country sides are the heart of the menu. Every country dinner includes three, and each one costs about $4.99 if you order it alone. Hashbrown Casserole and Fried Apples are the two signature picks that regulars order first.
| Country side | Typical price | Diet note |
|---|---|---|
| Hashbrown Casserole | $4.99 | Vegetarian |
| Fried Apples | $4.99 | Vegan as served |
| Mac and Cheese | $4.99 | Vegetarian |
| Mashed Potatoes and Country Gravy | $4.99 | Vegetarian |
| Sweet Whole Baby Carrots | $4.99 | Vegetarian |
| Sweet Corn | $4.99 | Vegetarian |
| Pinto Beans | $4.99 | Vegan as served |
| Turnip Greens | $4.99 | Seasoned with ham hock |
| Coleslaw | $4.99 | Vegetarian |
| Steak Fries | $4.99 | Vegetarian |
| Sliced Tomatoes | $4.99 | Vegan as served |
| Country Vegetable Soup (cup) | $5.49 | Vegetarian |
Hashbrown Casserole is the most recognized item in the building. Shredded potatoes are baked with cheddar, onion, butter, and cream until the edges crisp. It is free with any entree that includes sides, and about $4.99 on its own.
Fried Apples work as a side and a dessert at once. They are cooked with cinnamon and brown sugar, and they are one of the few items on the menu that is vegan as served.
The Single Biscuit costs about $1.99 and arrives with butter and apple butter. It is the cheapest item on the menu, and it makes a useful add-on when you want something small alongside a cup of soup.
Daily Specials
Cracker Barrel has long rotated daily specials built around its slow-cooked country dinners. Which dish lands on which weekday varies by store and by season, so there is no single national schedule you can count on.
Meatloaf has a reputation as a Tuesday special, and trackers repeat that tradition. Some stores also feature Chicken ‘n Dumplings or Pot Roast on set days. Ask your server, or check the app before you go.
Limited-time promotions work like specials too. The fall crispy chicken meal from $9.99 is the clearest example right now. It bundles an entree with two sides and bread at a price below most regular dinners.
A practical habit helps here. Read the special board before you read the main menu. Special pricing often undercuts the regular country dinner by a dollar or two, and the plate is usually the same size.
Cracker Barrel Kids Menu
The kids menu is for children 12 and under. Most plates cost $6.99 to $7.99 and come with a side, which keeps a family bill predictable when several children are ordering at the same time.
| Kids item | Typical price |
|---|---|
| Kids Hot Dog | $6.99 |
| Kids Grilled Cheese | $7.49 |
| Kids Lil’ Pancakes | $7.99 |
| Kids Mini-Cheeseburgers (2) | $7.99 |
| Kids Chicken Tenderloins | $7.99 |
| Kids Macaroni n’ Cheese | $7.99 |
| Kids Country Fried Chicken | $7.99 |
Lil’ Pancakes work at any hour because breakfast runs all day, and they come with one bacon strip or sausage link. Mac and cheese is the easiest option for picky eaters, since it uses a three-cheese sauce.
This year’s back-to-school promotion offered a free collectible toy with an adult entree and a kids meal. It ran from August 18 through September 7, so it has ended. Check the app for new family offers.
Cracker Barrel Desserts
Dessert prices cluster between about $6 and $8 across the regular menu. The fall lineup added one new apple dessert and brought back a returning favorite, so the seasonal board changes the choices on offer.
| Dessert | Typical price |
|---|---|
| Mama’s Pancake (single dessert pancake) | $5.99 |
| Pecan Pie | $6.99 |
| Seasonal Pumpkin Pie | $6.99 |
| Double Chocolate Fudge Coca-Cola Cake | $7.49 |
| Apple Pie a la Mode | $7.99 |
| Hot Apple Dumpling | $7.99 |
The Double Chocolate Fudge Coca-Cola Cake is the signature dessert. It is baked with Coca-Cola and topped with fudge icing, and it comes included in every Family Meal Basket, which makes baskets a good value if you want cake.
New for fall is the Apple Cobbler Cheesecake. Carrot Cake also returned for the season. Launch coverage listed neither price, so check the app or your store before you plan on a particular slice of either one.
Pumpkin Pie is a seasonal return and typically stays on the menu through the winter months. The Hot Apple Dumpling is the best choice if you want something warm that arrives with vanilla ice cream.
Drinks
Drink prices stay low compared with the entrees. Coffee and sweet tea each cost about $2.99 and come with free refills, which makes them the cheapest way to stay at the table as long as you like.
| Drink | Typical price |
|---|---|
| Bottomless Coffee | $2.99 |
| Bottomless Sweet Tea | $2.99 |
| Hot Tea | $2.99 |
| Milk | $2.99 |
| 100% Apple Juice | $2.99 |
| Soft Drinks | $3.29 |
| Hot Cocoa | $3.49 |
| Orange Juice | $3.49 |
| Domestic Beer (where served) | $5.49 |
| House Wine (where served) | $6.99 |
Soft drinks come with one refill, and the lineup covers the Coca-Cola family plus Dr Pepper and Mello Yello. Coffee and sweet tea are the only drinks with truly unlimited refills at the standard price.
Beer and wine are available at many but not all locations. Cracker Barrel has been expanding alcohol service for several years. Prices vary by state, and the list above is a tracker average, not a fixed price.
Fall Drinks
Two returning apple drinks joined the fall menu: Granny Smith Apple Tea and Granny Smith Apple Mimosa. A new Sweet Honey Latte arrived alongside them. The launch announcement did not give prices for these seasonal drinks.
The mimosa is an alcoholic drink, so it appears only at stores that serve alcohol. The apple tea is the safe choice for families and for anyone who wants a seasonal flavor without caffeine from coffee.
Family Meal Baskets
Family Meal Baskets are Cracker Barrel’s take-home meals. Each one feeds four to six people and includes an entree, three large country sides, six biscuits with butter, and a Double Chocolate Fudge Coca-Cola Cake for dessert.
| Family Meal Basket | Typical price |
|---|---|
| Meatloaf | $36.99 |
| Pulled Pork | $36.99 |
| Chicken ‘n Dumplings | $36.99 |
| Country Fried Steak | $39.99 |
| Sunday Homestyle Chicken | $44.99 |
| Roast Beef | $44.99 |
| Pot Roast | $44.99 |
Most guests order baskets online for curbside pickup. They are available all day, and they reheat well, so leftovers make a second meal. Catering trays for ten or more people are sold separately through Cracker Barrel Catering.
Is a Basket Cheaper Than Individual Dinners
The answer depends on headcount. For two people, a $36.99 basket costs more than two $13.99 dinners, which total $27.98. The basket still wins if you want leftovers plus the cake and biscuits for the next day.
At four servings, the Meatloaf basket works out to about $9.25 per person. Four individual meatloaf dinners cost $55.96. The break-even point sits around three diners, and every extra person widens the gap in your favor.
Cracker Barrel Opening Hours
Cracker Barrel is not a 24-hour restaurant. Trackers list standard hours of roughly 6 a.m. to 9 p.m. Sunday through Thursday, and until 10 p.m. on Friday and Saturday. Hours vary by store, so confirm yours.
Because breakfast is served all day, the opening time matters less. You can order pancakes at 8 p.m. if the craving hits, since the kitchen does not retire the breakfast menu after the morning rush.
The chain operates roughly 650 to 660 restaurants across 45 states. Most sit near interstate exits, which is why highway travelers use them as a rest stop with a full menu and a gift shop.
Holiday hours can differ from the standard schedule, and seasonal to-go meals may follow their own ordering deadlines. Check the store locator and the app before a holiday trip, so you do not arrive to a closed dining room.
How to Order at Cracker Barrel for Less
The cheapest way to eat well at Cracker Barrel is to use what is already included. Sides and bottomless drinks carry most of the value, so the five habits below focus on getting the most from each plate.
- Use all three sides. Country dinners include three sides at no charge, so choose ones you will finish, such as hashbrown casserole or fried apples.
- Share a basket. Three or more diners usually save money on a Family Meal Basket, and the cake and biscuits are included.
- Drink the free refills. Coffee and sweet tea cost about $2.99 and refill without limit, while soft drinks include just one refill.
- Use the app. Cracker Barrel Rewards earns points on each visit and offers app-only deals, including a free dessert on your birthday according to trackers.
- Buy the casserole frozen. The country store sells frozen hashbrown casserole at about $6.99 a pan, which is less than ordering it as a side on every visit.
Cracker Barrel does not currently run a nationwide senior discount, and reports on military discounts are mixed. Asking politely at your store never hurts, but do not build your whole dining budget around either one.
Cracker Barrel Nutrition Notes
Calories climb quickly at Cracker Barrel because plates arrive with biscuits and gravy plus sides. The figures below are tracker-reported estimates based on published nutrition data, so use the official nutrition guide for exact counts.
| Menu item | Calories | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Fried Apples (side) | 190 | $4.99 |
| Hashbrown Casserole (side) | 260 | $4.99 |
| Double Chocolate Fudge Coca-Cola Cake | 750 | $7.49 |
| Old Timer’s Breakfast | 850 | $11.49 |
| Pecan Pancakes (full stack) | 880 | $11.99 |
| Momma’s French Toast Breakfast | 920 | $9.49 |
| Chicken ‘n Dumplings with 3 sides | 1,080 | $13.49 |
| Meatloaf Dinner with 3 sides | 1,140 | $13.99 |
| Sunday Homestyle Chicken with 3 sides | 1,180 | $15.99 |
| Country Fried Steak with 3 sides | 1,260 | $14.99 |
| Country Boy Breakfast | 1,420 | $13.49 |
| Sunrise Sampler | 1,510 | $13.99 |
A biscuit adds about 160 calories, and jam with apple butter pushes it toward 250. Syrup adds roughly 210. These small extras explain why a plate that looks modest can end up well above 1,000 calories.
Lighter choices exist. Fried apples at about 190 calories and a cup of country vegetable soup are the easiest low-calorie additions. Sliced tomatoes and pinto beans also keep a plate lighter than the creamy sides.
For allergies, treat the kitchen as a shared space. Cross-contact with dairy, wheat, egg, and nuts is possible. Tell your server about any allergy before ordering, and ask whether an allergen guide is available at your store.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is there a senior citizen discount at Cracker Barrel?
No. Cracker Barrel does not currently offer a nationwide age-based senior discount, though Cracker Barrel Rewards and app deals can still lower your bill.
What is the new Cracker Barrel rule?
The viral rule is an internal employee policy, not a customer rule. Traveling staff are expected to eat at Cracker Barrel when practical, and alcohol is no longer reimbursed without approval.
Can black people eat at Cracker Barrel?
Yes. Cracker Barrel is a public restaurant open to every guest, and federal law bars discrimination in places of public accommodation.
Can I sleep in my car overnight at Cracker Barrel?
It depends on the store. Many allow overnight RV parking with a manager’s permission, but the policy is decided store by store and local ordinances apply.
More About Cracker Barrel
Dan Evins opened the first Cracker Barrel Old Country Store in 1969 in Lebanon, Tennessee. The original idea put a restaurant and country store under one roof, beside a gas station, to give travelers a reason to stop.
The gas pumps eventually disappeared, but the country store stayed. Every restaurant still has a gift shop at the front, selling candy, jams, toys, home decor, and frozen hashbrown casserole. Retail is a meaningful share of the company’s revenue.
Cracker Barrel is a publicly traded company with the ticker CBRL. The chain faced a rough stretch in 2025 after a logo and restaurant redesign drew public criticism, and it reversed the plan in September.
Bottom Line
The Cracker Barrel menu rewards guests who understand how the plates work. Country dinners include three sides and breakfast runs all day, while baskets reward groups. Use tracker prices as a guide, and confirm your store’s numbers in the app.
If the fall chicken or apple plates appeal to you, plan a visit before October 18. After that, the menu returns to its core country dinners and breakfast plates until the next seasonal rotation begins.
