Cracker Barrel Consumer Reviews - Page 3

I started working at Cracker Barrel around August of last year (now I am a par II) at which point I did not know about the company's turnover rates or anything else for that matter about the good-ol'-country-store. When I first started training, it was all about "pleasing people" but when I got to the usual work day experience, it all came down to the dollar and how much you could generate for the company. As a restaurant, I shouldn't have been surprised for my displeasure but I regret ever getting the interview call from my manager.

Cracker Barrel is a really horrible place to work at. Employees get no incentive and not to mention no appreciation either. I had had a few problems with an MIT (manager in training) who later became an associate manager. He was a very disrespectful man but of course, not every Cracker Barrel has the same issues.

After a few months of looking at how desperate I was with the whole job market I chose to keep the job and just hang in there but things got from worse to really messed up when as a joke he said to me that he should fire me for not doing as he says (which btw, was to have my cash drawer bills facing in one direction). And that was two hours after I was supposed to go home. I later, I admit I shouldn't have, called him a jerk for which I got written up for. Cracker Barrel company policies enable the managers to treat their employees like slaves or worse.

Previously when I had asked if I could go home at the time I was scheduled to go home I received a lecture at how that was only a "suggested" time and how the manager could keep me for as long as he/she wanted and that even after an 8 hour shift, but wait! They didn't want you to go over your 40 hours either. I knew no other manager would agree or even listen to me on how the associate manager was treating me (and a bunch others) so I got a suggestion from another co-worker to call their "home office." Again I mention, that would not have worked because the managers don't get these policies out of the blue but from true corporate laws.

I have finally now decided on giving my two weeks notice and quite with dignity and mail the associate manager an apology card saying "I'm sorry I called you a jerk. You're not a jerk, you're an **." Yes, I know those of you thinking of how immature that is but I've had many jobs, and this truly deserves a five star rating for the worst job ever.

My goal is to let every new hire know of what their getting into with their target item sales and high hour goals. Other reviewers have done a great job describing how sick the ideas really are of us having to sell 40 chewing gums (or whatever the current target item of choice) and pushing, pushing, pushing when the managers get obese on free meals and fat bonuses.

So I'm an employee of Cracker Barrel and I just wanted to share some information to all of the patrons of this restaurant. I work as a cashier by the way. Every month, we have a "target" item. It's usually some candy or mints that we have right next to the register that we ask you to buy.

Well let me tell you a little about these items. We are REQUIRED to sell a certain amount every day. Let's say 3 an hour for a 6 hour shift. Well that makes 18 a day. If you don't sell 18 that day you have to make up for it the next day. And if you don't make up your numbers by the end of the week, your next week's hours get cut. So one week I can sell 100, but if I didn't meet my projected goals, my hours get cut.

Now onto the fun facts. THE EMPLOYEES DO NOT GET ANYTHING FOR THIS. The only thing that the managers tell us we get is hours. Well we get hours to sell more stuff for them hoping that we can meet our goals. What do the managers get? Well let me inform you.... They get small bonuses, like 100 dollars or if you place in the top 3 in your region, they get trips to Disney or a weekend at the beach or stuff like that. These are real incentives for the managers. Well the employees get nothing for doing this.

I brought this fact up in a meeting where my regional manager attended. She came because she lives so close to our store. They started the meeting by saying that we need to sell our "target" items. We really need to push them. Then, my regional manager said that we placed number 2 in our region for a previous target item. So being the smart mouth outspoken person I am, I politely asked what do we get for this? She said you get to keep your job. I have been conversing with a lot of my co-workers about this and no one is happy. We all hate it. It's high pressure and a lot of the guests complain about it.

Here is another fun fact.... Cracker Barrel stopped this "target" item campaign for one year and lost 10 million dollars. So to gain that 10 million back they are screwing their employees. We are training 6 new cashiers because it's that high of a turnover. 20 new servers and 3 new retail personnel. We just hired 4 cashiers and 10 servers. That's 30 new servers and 10 cashiers. That's the turnover rate at Cracker Barrel. Might be a good place for paying customers but for the employees, this place sucks!!!!!!!!

One more thing for all you people reading this. Apparently, someone in the chain said that no stores should have a 0 dollar hour. Meaning that something should be sold at all times during the day. Well we open at 6 am EVERY day. No one wants to buy chocolate or candy at 6 am. I know I wouldn't. So I got two 0 dollar hours in a row the other day. This was from 6am-7am and 7am-8am. My manager came up to me and asked why I didn't have anything sold. I told her that there was no one in the restaurant OR in the store to sell to. Her reply to me... THAT'S NO EXCUSE.

I then told her that I do not make enough money to subsidize the company because they don't want a 0 dollar hour. I refuse to buy something so the company can profit!!!! BTW... if you have an extra dollar, PLEASE buy the target item. It keeps us in a job and able to pay our bills.

GAS CITY, INDIANA -- I recently went to Cracker Barrel, for the first time, and had a most unfortunate experience that I must share. Additionally, because of my experience I will certainly recommend against having any of my friends, family, or patients go to for the first time or return to the restaurant. I am a physician currently in a general surgery residency and have a very high sensitivity to cigarette smoke; additionally, I just do not care to be around it for the obvious reasons (health, smell, etc.).

I went to the Gas City, Indiana location and asked to be seated as far away from smoking as possible. After waiting fifteen (15) minutes, I was seated - not an abnormally long or unacceptable wait, in my opinion. There was no smoke in the room when I was seated; however, things would take a turn for the worse very quickly. I found out very soon that I was seated right next to the smoking section. If there were doors or it were "closed off" completely then I would have been fine; however, such was not the case.

I asked to be moved and was informed that I would likely have to wait 20 minutes or longer. Keep in mind that this is after I had already received my food - this is when the inconsiderate people that MUST smoke in a restaurant started doing such. I immediately left the restaurant, as my appetite to eat there was lost, and went to another well-established restaurant.

After sending an e-mail to the corporate office suggesting that if someone says "as far away from smoking as possible" literally means "far away". I received a very snide e-mail in return. It stated, essentially, that it would be quite a pain for them (Cracker Barrel) to create a completely different area for smokers (i.e. doors). Additionally, I was told that Cracker Barrel abides by state and local laws that prevent smoking in certain localities and states in restaurants.

My questions are: Why would Cracker Barrel, in light of scientific findings, allow non-smokers to be contaminated by smokers? Risk a class-action lawsuit by employees that are non-smokers. Just wait and see, this will happen. Just as you cannot ask a person to go into a confined space without a respirator or OSHA will be in your behind, it will happen that restaurants that actively encourage smokers to come will suffer the consequences legally - just wait. Think of the poor lady that is a waitress that must cope with that for twenty to thirty years!

WHY was I just not moved to a section not as close to the smoking section? I had no issue eating at a restaurant where smokers were, regardless of how I feel about them. My issue was simply to be as far away as possible - such did not happen. Why was I not encouraged to return to the restaurant? Is it because they feel they could not possibly be of assistance to non-smokers and having that section is just a ploy? I paid $14.00+ for a meal that I could not eat!

I can assure you that all of my patients will be informed about this situation. Additionally, I know 50+ physicians personally (all non-smokers), I can assure you that they will inform their patients as well! This means that a minimum (BARE minimum) of 5,000 patients will hear this complaint but more likely three times more than that will hear about this! Thanks for the great customer service Cracker Barrel!

LOVELAND, COLORADO -- We stopped here for breakfast & because they have RV parking. We talked w/ mgr about hanging out for the night. He was so supportive & invited us to stay the night. We were very comfortable. Had breakfast, dinner & another breakfast. Highly recommend the CB. Staff is over the top in service.

ANDERSON INDIANA -- Food has went downhill, not Cracker Barrel standard, cold food, bad taste, but good service.

CLIVE, IOWA -- Very disappointed with managers. Three weeks ago, I placed a reservation, over the phone with Mark, for my Red Hat group. He accepted the date and time. He was also agreeable with taking a later call with a number of the group. This afternoon, I called to give the number, was rudely informed by manager, Steve that no Cracker Barrel, take group reservations. He offered no apology and implied, I was stupid not to know it. Well, I am not stupid enough to ever enter another Cracker Barrel, much less, recommend it, to anyone.

WESLEY CHAPEL, FLORIDA -- The food is always delivered fast and the servers are very friendly!

TAMPA, FLORIDA -- I always have a great experience at Cracker Barrel. The food is always delicious and their wait staff is friendly. I also like the fact that they have a great shop and outside sitting area with checkers to keep you busy should the wait be long. Always look forward to a good hearty breakfast when I go there!

ALEXANDRIA, LOUISIANA -- My breakfast came out cold, gravy was so cold there was a film on top, my eggs & hash browns were cold, we never got our milk, and my husband's toast wasn't served until after he had finished eating. His was cold too but he's a diabetic and needed to eat. I have never been to a Cracker Barrel that had good food. The one in Lafayette, LA is just as bad. Don't waste your time stopping.

STEWARTS DRAFT, FLORIDA -- We travel a lot. We used to go to Cracker Barrel restaurants all the time. They were wonderful. We haven't been to one in a few years because we were on the West Coast. We went to one in Stuarts Draft Virginia for breakfast the other day and it was awful. The portions were minuscule, and the quality went way downhill. Corporate greed strikes again. The wait staff didn't have the old friendly attitude either. They seem to fear for their jobs. I am done with this horrible chain and will tell the world how bad they have gotten.