8 Rules You Can't Forget When Eating At Cracker Barrel

Going out to eat may seem like a relatively straightforward affair, but sometimes, you need to know the rules of eating at certain restaurants so you can ensure that you're getting the best possible experience there. These rules may not be presented to you when you enter the restaurant, per se, but they're unwritten guidelines that can make or break your meal. And Cracker Barrel, a chain with a very specific way of doing things, is one of those restaurants in which knowing the rules really helps.

You may not find this list of rules on Cracker Barrel's website, but hopefully, by following them anyway, you'll have your best meal at the Southern breakfast chain yet. Of course, some rules are meant to be broken, so abide by them at your own discretion when you visit your nearest Cracker Barrel. But whatever you do, don't assume that the sweet and iced teas are the same thing. These are the Cracker Barrel rules you need to know.

It's always a bummer when you show up to a restaurant already feeling super hungry only to realize that you're going to have to wait 30 minutes or more just to be seated, let alone actually get your food. And if you go to Cracker Barrel at certain times of the day and week — like during brunch on weekend mornings — you're likely to discover that you will, indeed, need to wait for a table. But did you know that there's one simple step you can take that will reduce your wait time before you even arrive at the restaurant? By downloading Cracker Barrel's app, you can check wait times to better choose when to visit and add your name to the waitlist so you don't have to wait quite as long.

Sure, when you go to any busy restaurant, there's a chance you're still going to have to wait a bit. But reducing the amount of time you're sitting around waiting for a seat is always going to be a smart move when you're feeling especially ravenous.

At most restaurants you visit, the menu looks more or less the same day to day. But at Cracker Barrel, you can take advantage of different daily specials depending on the day of the week you visit. Although you can get most of these meals anytime you visit your local Cracker Barrel, the daily specials are offered at a slight discount compared to the price of the meal normally. This means you can get a bit more bang for your buck, which automatically makes your meal that much more delicious.

Going to Cracker Barrel on a Monday? Order some chicken and rice for a simple but delicious dinner. Visiting on a Friday? You have to get the crispy fish fry. On Tuesday, make sure to snag yourself some country fried pork for a particularly rich Southern dish with a perfect combo of textures. Find a dish you particularly like, and you may just find yourself becoming a regular at the local Cracker Barrel on a specific day of the week.

One of our favorite parts of going to Cracker Barrel is getting to play the peg game. Sure, the food at this chain may not be the most incredible thing you've ever eaten, or the service may be substandard at certain locations, but you can guarantee that every time, the peg game will deliver. It saves hungry diners from boredom on a daily basis and might even keep the kids off their screens and engaged long enough for mom and dad to actually take a decent look at the menu.

But you shouldn't let your enthusiasm for the peg game keep you from ordering once you've been seated at your table and a server comes over to take your order. First of all, it means your food will come out later, which is probably not what you want when you're feeling even a little hungry, and it may even be considered rude to take up table space when there are others waiting for a meal. So, decide what you're going to eat, place your order, and then indulge in as many peg game rounds as you desire.

Most restaurants that serve breakfast have bacon, eggs, toast, and oatmeal on offer until 10 or 11 a.m. After that, if you want breakfast food, you're on your own — it's better to just go home to whip up a late breakfast or breakfast for dinner instead of trying to find a restaurant that will serve what you're craving. That is, unless you're going to a Cracker Barrel. This chain is famous for serving its Southern-style breakfast favorites all day, every day. So, whether you decide to visit first thing in the morning when the restaurant opens or you wait until an hour or two before closing time, you'll be able to get the morningtime dishes you love.

Sure, you can always get a standard breakfast plate with eggs, sausage or bacon, and toast, but we like switching it up a bit when it comes to breakfast at Cracker Barrel. We particularly like the biscuits and gravy, which offers a breakfast classic that you can't necessarily find at every breakfast joint. It's a classic breakfast dish that can truly be enjoyed at any time of the day.

When you pull up to a Cracker Barrel for the very first time, one of the first things you're going to notice is just how many rocking chairs are out front. If you'd only ever been to one Cracker Barrel before, you might just figure it's a quirk of this specific location, but you'd be wrong — you'll find those iconic rocking chairs in front of just about every Cracker Barrel location. They serve two functions: Firstly, they're there because the restaurant is trying to sell them, plain and simple. But even if you'd never dream of buying a Cracker Barrel rocking chair, you can still enjoy sitting in one while you wait for your table at the restaurant.

That being said, you definitely shouldn't hog those rocking chairs, particularly if there are plenty of other people waiting for a seat. It's only polite to let others get a chance to sit down as well. If you really love sitting in those rocking chairs and don't want to share, consider getting one for your own home.

You know those times when you just don't feel like cooking? Sure, going out to eat is one option, but it's a pricey one, and many of us don't want to eat out for several meals in a row. But you don't have to save your Cracker Barrel leftovers just to ensure that you don't have to cook your next meal at home when you take advantage of Cracker Barrel's $5 take-home meals. All you have to do is order a full-priced meal when you sit down at the restaurant (sorry, those special discounts don't count), then select the kind of take-home meal you want to enjoy at home. These meals are prepared cold and designed so you can warm them up quite easily without actually doing any cooking yourself.

The kinds of meals you'll find under this offer vary depending on location but often include favorites like fried chicken, mac and cheese, and even meatloaf. Who knew you could get dinner on the table for a family of four — one that you don't have to cook yourself — for only $20?

Cracker Barrel isn't just a restaurant; it's an eatery that's all about the experience. After all, the food isn't wildly exciting, even for a chain restaurant, so you really want to take advantage of what the spot is actually known for. Part of the fun of visiting Cracker Barrel is the fact that you get to wander through the "country store," which is just a quaint way of saying "gift shop." You'll find a wide variety of different items to purchase at the country store, ranging from candy to clothes to decor and just about everything in between. Much of it is Southern- or country-themed, which is all a part of the fun.

Let's be honest: You probably don't need anything at all from Cracker Barrel's country store, but that doesn't mean you shouldn't take a look around. You don't have to buy anything to window shop, and it's a great way to spend your time while you wait for your seat or something fun to do after eating your meal.

Cracker Barrel's menu is pretty straightforward to navigate, even if you're not from the South. There are some regional classics there that you may not have had before, but they're pretty self-explanatory ... at least until it comes to the drinks section. There's one mistake you definitely don't want to make at Cracker Barrel, and it's assuming that the sweet tea and iced tea are essentially the same thing. You couldn't be more wrong.

Cracker Barrel offers proper Southern-style sweet tea, which is really, really sweet. In fact, it can often be sweeter than a typical soda. Ordering this drink when you're expecting iced tea — or vice versa — can be a big surprise if you're not expecting something sweet (or, in turn, a drink that's as bitter as unsweetened tea). Make sure that you know there's a difference between sweet tea and classic iced tea before you order, and you won't regret your drink decision.