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View Full Version : Crackerbarrel discontinues serving rice



Stephen Tashiro
03-27-2017, 9:12 PM
At the local Crackerbarrel restaurant today, I was informed that they no longer serve rice except on Sundays. This menu change is ordered by corporate headquarters.

I wonder why they picked rice to eliminate. I'd rather seen them get rid of the muffin that they call cornbread or their latest incarnation of fried catfish.

Bruce Wrenn
03-27-2017, 9:24 PM
Wouldn't bother me if they discontinued EVERYTHING. Other than chef salad, I can't say I've had ANYTHING in Cracker Barrel to brag about. Cracker Barrel = tourist trap, IMHO!

Roger Feeley
03-28-2017, 8:14 AM
I really like their pancakes. I am a super taster which means that I'm especially sensitive to bitter. I love pancakes but it's a high risk enterprise for me. Sometimes they are like chewing aspirin. It's all about the baking powder and CB uses the 'right' kind of baking powder. A bonus is that they serve maple syrup and use butter instead of that country crock stuff. They bring the syrup in these little airline bottles which I fully understand because the stuff is expensive. But I've never gotten an argument if I ask for two bottles when I order.

I'm not a big fan of the lunch and dinner entrees. Ditto on the salads.

There's not a CB near enough to me to be worth the drive. Besides, we have an Original Pancake House nearby. mmmmmm...

Mike Null
03-28-2017, 8:24 AM
I go out of my way to have a CB breakfast. Their pancakes are the best I've found anyplace.

I have IHOP and a local pancake house nearby but their pancakes aren't even close to CB. The rest of their menu is better than fast food places but......

Alan Rutherford
03-28-2017, 2:29 PM
I Googled this - as I do with all surprising factoids before I believe them - and the ONLY hit on this subject is this thread. I have no reason to doubt the OP's word so it must be true. So folks, you heard it here first.

As to why - we've cut 'way back on rice in our house because of the arsenic (Google that if you don't know what I'm talking about). I bet Crackerbarrel's reason is more directly related to their bottom line than to our health, however.

Brian Henderson
03-28-2017, 5:05 PM
Wouldn't know, closest Crackerbarrel, according to their website, is almost 250 miles away.

Curt Harms
03-28-2017, 8:12 PM
I go out of my way to have a CB breakfast. Their pancakes are the best I've found anyplace.

I have IHOP and a local pancake house nearby but their pancakes aren't even close to CB. The rest of their menu is better than fast food places but......

Good summation. The times I've gone to Cracker Barrel has been for breakfast.

John C Cox
03-28-2017, 9:57 PM
I am not a big fan of their rice anyway. I dont know what it is - but their rice texture is not right.

Gordon Eyre
03-29-2017, 5:04 PM
I am a big time fan of their pancakes but could care less about their rice.

Shawn Pixley
03-29-2017, 7:10 PM
Wouldn't know, closest Crackerbarrel, according to their website, is almost 250 miles away.

The closest one to me is in Las Vegas (a five to six hour drive). Crackerbarrel doesn't seem like something I would choose. The best pancakes I have eaten are from my kitchen.

Rich Riddle
03-29-2017, 7:35 PM
A farm neighbor who eats at the local Cracker Barrel said they're still serving it in this area......but Kentucky takes a while to catch up to other places at times.

Brian Henderson
03-29-2017, 10:00 PM
The closest one to me is in Las Vegas (a five to six hour drive). Crackerbarrel doesn't seem like something I would choose. The best pancakes I have eaten are from my kitchen.

Probably the same Crackerbarrel for both of us. If I ever wind up in Vegas again, I might stop in, but I haven't been there in 20 years and really have no interest in going back.

Stephen Tashiro
03-29-2017, 11:24 PM
A farm neighbor who eats at the local Cracker Barrel said they're still serving it in this area......but Kentucky takes a while to catch up to other places at times.

The discontinued rice at the local Crackerbarrel is the "brown rice pilaf" , which was formerly available as a "side". (It was the the only way rice was available as a side.) The current online Crackerbarrel menu still lists chicken and rice soup and a Saturday special mean of chicken and rice.

Here in New Mexico, Crackerbarrel occupies a niche market. It's the only place I can get something resembling "Southern cooking".

Allan Dozier
04-01-2017, 3:18 PM
The danger zone for cooked food is from 40 to 140 F. I have classmates who were involved with food inspections and they said the most difficult item for the restaurants to keep out of this range was cooked rice. I guess it is because it is so light and airy, almost like insulation. It would either be too cool or dried out from too much heat. That is my guess anyway but I have no direct knowledge of CB's decision. Things like beans or other foods that sit in water are easy to keep hot but rice gets gummy quickly.

Stephen Tashiro
04-01-2017, 10:37 PM
The danger zone for cooked food is from 40 to 140 F. I have classmates who were involved with food inspections and they said the most difficult item for the restaurants to keep out of this range was cooked rice.

It would be interesting to know what items on the menu are actually cooked in big batches. The vegetables in supermarkets that are designed to be microwaved "in the bag" are satisfactory and, to me, the sides at Crackerbarrel taste like similar fare. The big disappointment is the fried okra, which tastes like it was fried a long time before it got to the restaurant kitchen.

The topic of food temperature reminds me of my main complaint about Crackerbarrel breakfasts. The eggs are usually lukewarm by the time they arrive. I don't think that's the fault of cooks or wait staff. To serve a hot meal, the plates themselves need to be kept hot.

roger wiegand
04-02-2017, 12:53 PM
I ate at a Crackerbarrel once. Thought the "theme" was horrible and the food worse. That was enough.

Jerome Stanek
04-02-2017, 3:41 PM
When I was doing drugstore installs I ate at Cracker Barrel a lot as where we were doing the work they were about the only place to eat. We always tried to find a mom and pop diner but a lot of those were closed by the time we quit working. Food wasn't all that good but you take what you can get.

Ken Combs
04-04-2017, 5:10 PM
It would be interesting to know what items on the menu are actually cooked in big batches. The vegetables in supermarkets that are designed to be microwaved "in the bag" are satisfactory and, to me, the sides at Crackerbarrel taste like similar fare. The big disappointment is the fried okra, which tastes like it was fried a long time before it got to the restaurant kitchen.

The topic of food temperature reminds me of my main complaint about Crackerbarrel breakfasts. The eggs are usually lukewarm by the time they arrive. I don't think that's the fault of cooks or wait staff. To serve a hot meal, the plates themselves need to be kept hot.
I think the okra is a generic breaded a frozen item. At least the stuff in the frozen case at the grocery tastes the same, and that's not good.
RE: hot plates. A pet peeve of mine too. Eggs, hash browns and gravy in particular should never go on a cold/room temp plate.
Local Mexican restaurants in my area have that down to a science. They have a dedicated staff that deliver the food to the tables, not order takers/drink folks, but guys that wear big, long oven mitts and bring really hot plates to the table.

I'll bet because, refried beans, chili con queso etc taste much better hot too!

Jerome Stanek
04-04-2017, 5:28 PM
I have been to some restaurants that bring the food out on very hot plates but the food is cold

George Werner
04-04-2017, 5:33 PM
I do enjoy their breakfasts, very large meal. I tried their rice once and that was enough to convince me to stick to breakfast. The rice was crispy, just awful.

Paul McGaha
04-04-2017, 6:18 PM
We have a Cracker Barrel near us and go once in a while. I've never had anything other than the breakfast and I find it to be really good. I usually get a plate that has bacon and eggs and pancakes.

PHM

Ronald Blue
04-04-2017, 10:25 PM
I won't miss the rice since I never ordered it. I think they have generally good food. I like the fact that it is consistent from one location to another. Are they perfect of course not. Food tastes are very subjective and individualized. Obviously many people like them because there have been many times that we had to wait for a table at least a few minutes.

Bill Neely
04-18-2017, 2:55 AM
I've never even seen a Cracker Barrel but I googled it and found out they just opened their first West Coast store up near Portland. I won't be visiting since the only time I go up there is for the airport. I also very seldom eat in chain restaurants because I'm intolerant of dairy products.

I do like fried okra (and eggplant too) I wish I could grow it here. Pancakes sound good too. The worst part of aging for me is it's narrowed my food choices quite a bit.