topic Re: Cracker Barrel last night in Community Chat

Cracker Barrel last night

happycat — Sun, 23 Feb 2020 17:43:51 GMT

DH and I went to CB to eat dinner. He ordered fried shrimp, fried okra and hushbrown casserole. Heart attack on a plate, I know. Well, it didn't matter he didn't eat it, because his shrimp didn't look right. He touched it, and then put the fork basically in my face. I told him, thanks I do not want any of your shrimp.

He then said, no feel this- well, I felt it and I am kid ya'll not it was ice cold. Now what on earth?

Also, his plate had a bunch of fries (not ordered), the shrimp on top and that was it. I don't think the shrimp was cooked, or it was cooked and frozen and they didn't heat it back up.

I have never worked in a restaurant, I have no clue how they do things.

Anyway, we complained to manager, who said she was training "kids" and you can't "yell" at them to get them to do anything right.

It was about the strangest restaurant experience I have had in quite a while.

However, it got me to thinking. If whomever is cooking this stuff, is doing such a sorry job at cooking, do we really think they are washing their hands after using the restroom?

I told dh, we will go to our favorite Japanese steakhouse, and our favorite Mexican restaurant and I think that will be it.

I am going to have to start cooking I suppose. Lord help.

Re: Cracker Barrel last night

software — Sun, 23 Feb 2020 17:51:59 GMT

I hope you don't have to start cooking either!

I giggled to myself when I read it.

Shrimp is about the easiest thing in the world to prepare.

Since when did CB go into seafood?

They should stay in their lane.

I've always had a good experience, bet that manager's days are numbered.

No excuse for what happened.

Re: Cracker Barrel last night

Vivian — Sun, 23 Feb 2020 17:58:53 GMT

It's important to be attentive to food orders. Sometimes the dish sits too long and becomes a disastrous stomach upset. Other times, the food itself is contaminated and inedible. Only once, my husband and I got really sick eating semi-warm Reuben sandwiches that had obviously not been properly stored. Most of the time we are very cognizant of what we order. If you have any doubt about the safety of your order, do not eat it.

Re: Cracker Barrel last night

chrystaltree — Sun, 23 Feb 2020 17:59:02 GMT

They took the frozen shrimp from the freezer and put it in the deep fryer, that's why it was cold in the middle. Bad management. The new "kids" she had back their cooking were unsupervised and it seems like no one was training them to do anything. So, you are right about cleanliness. That's probably a problem in that kitchen. I'd probably stop going there, not because of one terrible meal that should have been comped. But because of the manager's attitude.

Re: Cracker Barrel last night

Porcelain — Sun, 23 Feb 2020 18:00:29 GMT

@happycat wrote:
DH and I went to CB to eat dinner. He ordered fried shrimp, fried okra and hushbrown casserole. Heart attack on a plate, I know. Well, it didn't matter he didn't eat it, because his shrimp didn't look right. He touched it, and then put the fork basically in my face. I told him, thanks I do not want any of your shrimp.
He then said, no feel this- well, I felt it and I am kid ya'll not it was ice cold. Now what on earth?
Also, his plate had a bunch of fries (not ordered), the shrimp on top and that was it. I don't think the shrimp was cooked, or it was cooked and frozen and they didn't heat it back up.

I have never worked in a restaurant, I have no clue how they do things.

Anyway, we complained to manager, who said she was training "kids" and you can't "yell" at them to get them to do anything right.

It was about the strangest restaurant experience I have had in quite a while.

However, it got me to thinking. If whomever is cooking this stuff, is doing such a sorry job at cooking, do we really think they are washing their hands after using the restroom?

I told dh, we will go to our favorite Japanese steakhouse, and our favorite Mexican restaurant and I think that will be it.

I am going to have to start cooking I suppose. Lord help.

What a weird manager. Her job wasn't to give you excuses for why something went wrong. It was to make sure you had good, edible food.

Re: Cracker Barrel last night

QVCkitty1 — Sun, 23 Feb 2020 18:03:05 GMT

@Porcelain wrote:
@happycat wrote:
DH and I went to CB to eat dinner. He ordered fried shrimp, fried okra and hushbrown casserole. Heart attack on a plate, I know. Well, it didn't matter he didn't eat it, because his shrimp didn't look right. He touched it, and then put the fork basically in my face. I told him, thanks I do not want any of your shrimp.
He then said, no feel this- well, I felt it and I am kid ya'll not it was ice cold. Now what on earth?
Also, his plate had a bunch of fries (not ordered), the shrimp on top and that was it. I don't think the shrimp was cooked, or it was cooked and frozen and they didn't heat it back up.

I have never worked in a restaurant, I have no clue how they do things.

Anyway, we complained to manager, who said she was training "kids" and you can't "yell" at them to get them to do anything right.

It was about the strangest restaurant experience I have had in quite a while.

However, it got me to thinking. If whomever is cooking this stuff, is doing such a sorry job at cooking, do we really think they are washing their hands after using the restroom?

I told dh, we will go to our favorite Japanese steakhouse, and our favorite Mexican restaurant and I think that will be it.

I am going to have to start cooking I suppose. Lord help.
What a weird manager. Her job wasn't to give you excuses for why something went wrong. It was to make sure you had good, edible food.

@Porcelain , Right, what an unprofessional answer , blaming those " darn kids ."

Re: Cracker Barrel last night

nana59 — Sun, 23 Feb 2020 18:08:01 GMT

@happycat wrote:
DH and I went to CB to eat dinner. He ordered fried shrimp, fried okra and hushbrown casserole. Heart attack on a plate, I know. Well, it didn't matter he didn't eat it, because his shrimp didn't look right. He touched it, and then put the fork basically in my face. I told him, thanks I do not want any of your shrimp.
He then said, no feel this- well, I felt it and I am kid ya'll not it was ice cold. Now what on earth?
Also, his plate had a bunch of fries (not ordered), the shrimp on top and that was it. I don't think the shrimp was cooked, or it was cooked and frozen and they didn't heat it back up.

I have never worked in a restaurant, I have no clue how they do things.

Anyway, we complained to manager, who said she was training "kids" and you can't "yell" at them to get them to do anything right.

It was about the strangest restaurant experience I have had in quite a while.

However, it got me to thinking. If whomever is cooking this stuff, is doing such a sorry job at cooking, do we really think they are washing their hands after using the restroom?

I told dh, we will go to our favorite Japanese steakhouse, and our favorite Mexican restaurant and I think that will be it.

I am going to have to start cooking I suppose. Lord help.

hope he didn't pay for that meal!

Re: Cracker Barrel last night

Mersha — Sun, 23 Feb 2020 18:23:46 GMT

Sorry that happened.

I would definitely contact their corporate headquarters and let them know what you experienced.

Re: Cracker Barrel last night

roster — Sun, 23 Feb 2020 18:27:07 GMT

The older one gets the more you see how people are and their behaviors. Chain food restaurants, etc., give me pause. I don't eat at these places anymore. Don't like take out and have learned to cook.

Re: Cracker Barrel last night

tends2dogs — Sun, 23 Feb 2020 18:37:24 GMT

Not a big fan of Cracker Barrel. We have stopped on occasion when on long road trips. I usually order breakfast fare, but it is never very hot. I hate lukewarm food.

It is better not to dwell on the horrors of what goes on in restaurant kitchens. That goes for your high end and fast food. If you choose to eat out, think about the fact that you aren't cooking and don't have the clean up instead of if the cook washed their hands or just blew their nose.

That's what I do. Also, if you enjoy an adult beverage with your meal, I like to think that can be an antiseptic of sorts.

Sorry you had a bad meal, @happycat . I hope you weren't charged. The manager sounds like she was in a little over her head....imagine?? Don't let this stop you from future dining out experiences. If you go out enough you are bound to have a bad one once in awhile. That hasn't stopped us from going out. We eat out 4 nights a week. We are still living and breathing the good life!

Re: Cracker Barrel last night

Sheila P-Burg — Sun, 23 Feb 2020 18:38:27 GMT

I think I could handle the possibility of food poisoning over what has occurred at two (2) of the restaurants here recently. The Frisch's had an employee admitted to the hospital. Tests confirmed Hepatitis A. All employees had to be tested. Since he worked at another Frisch's in the town nearby those employees had to be tested.

One of the Bob Evans here has been reported by customers as having roaches. They were reported in December and February. By the time the health department came they had closed the restaurant and had hired someone to take care of the problem.

That is definitely two (2) restaurants I am avoiding.

Re: Cracker Barrel last night

KingstonsMom — Sun, 23 Feb 2020 18:48:20 GMT

If you only knew what goes on in the fast food industry, you'd never eat there!

DD has managed several popular fast food restaurants and her horror stories convinced me not to eat at any of them.

Her current restaurant, is a popular chicken restaurant that specializes in 'cajun' chicken and side dishes.

According to our Health Department, the products are only safe to eat for so many hours, after they are made.

She is forced by Corporate to change the date/time made, so they can keep selling products beyond the date/time that the Health dept allows.

She won't even eat at this restaurant, even though her meals are free.

That says a lot...........

Re: Cracker Barrel last night

SharkE — Sun, 23 Feb 2020 19:03:41 GMT

you take your life in your hands these days I tell you.

We go out once a week to a nice place, then, maybe fast food on 1 day

You don't know what they're doing back there and especially the boys.

nose running acting like people they have seen in movies. LOL It's a cr*p

shoot. No kidding.

DH got sick as a dog yrs ago from eating at Red ********** he even missed a days work and he never missed a day.

I went thru Burger **** and got ahold of something that came and went few hrs later.

I get tired of cooking and planning and cleaning up after 2 meals. Now, that he's retired, just more work for me, so, why, I want a day out.

Re: Cracker Barrel last night

corita — Sun, 23 Feb 2020 19:07:36 GMT

I don't eat out much, but have always been leery of eating out during flu and other viruses season! I just stay away and cook at home. Maybe silly, but can't help to be concerned.

I taught child caregivers about the importance of handwashing. I was friends with the head of the Health Department Environmental section. Restaurants and child care facilities were under his department. He would give lectures to my child caregivers about the importance of cleanliness when feeding others. He would tell such stories and really...you would be out of your mind to eat out in our area. Thank goodness our day care centers rarely had Health Dept infractions!!!

PS - at our local Cracker Barrel, the bathrooms are very close to the eating section. My friend calls it the 'arts and farts' eaterie!!!

Re: Cracker Barrel last night

Laura14 — Sun, 23 Feb 2020 19:16:11 GMT

Not sure it will make you feel better but usually at least one person has to be certified as ServSafe which means they understand all the health risks and proper prep. No restaurant keeps their health score without it.

We were all new at our jobs once. I'm sorry you hit them on a bad night.

Re: Cracker Barrel last night

deepwaterdotter — Sun, 23 Feb 2020 19:25:30 GMT

@Mersha wrote:
Sorry that happened.

I would definitely contact their corporate headquarters and let them know what you experienced.

That would be my course of action.

Re: Cracker Barrel last night

happycat — Sun, 23 Feb 2020 19:43:33 GMT

@Mersha wrote:
Sorry that happened.

I would definitely contact their corporate headquarters and let them know what you experienced.

Yes, my dh emailed corportate today.

And for the ones who mentioned it, no we did not pay for the food. We told our waitress we were leaving and not paying for it and going to find a manager.

The manager needs training in my opinion. Well, all of them do, but the manager didn't handle it well.

Re: Cracker Barrel last night

happycat — Sun, 23 Feb 2020 19:48:47 GMT

@KingstonsMom wrote:
If you only knew what goes on in the fast food industry, you'd never eat there!

DD has managed several popular fast food restaurants and her horror stories convinced me not to eat at any of them.

Her current restaurant, is a popular chicken restaurant that specializes in 'cajun' chicken and side dishes.

According to our Health Department, the products are only safe to eat for so many hours, after they are made.

She is forced by Corporate to change the date/time made, so they can keep selling products beyond the date/time that the Health dept allows.

She won't even eat at this restaurant, even though her meals are free.

That says a lot...........

That is beyond terrible @KingstonsMom!

Its all about the almighty dollar, I guess. And its sad because if a person already had a compromised immune system, I think this could be disastrous.

I've never had food poisoning, but had a friend who did, and she said she thought she was going to die. And she is younger than me and healthy.

Re: Cracker Barrel last night

happycat — Sun, 23 Feb 2020 19:51:39 GMT

@SharkE wrote:
you take your life in your hands these days I tell you.
We go out once a week to a nice place, then, maybe fast food on 1 day

You don't know what they're doing back there and especially the boys.
nose running acting like people they have seen in movies. LOL It's a cr*p
shoot. No kidding.

DH got sick as a dog yrs ago from eating at Red ********** he even missed a days work and he never missed a day.

I went thru Burger **** and got ahold of something that came and went few hrs later.

I get tired of cooking and planning and cleaning up after 2 meals. Now, that he's retired, just more work for me, so, why, I want a day out.

I hear ya, @SharkE. I get tired of it too, and tired of leftovers. When our kids were here, it was great to have leftovers, cause the food would be gone in 2 days. Now, if I cook much, we will have it a week.

I need to learn to cook for two people. And I'm also going to start making more chicken salad. Thank God my dh is not picky.

Re: Cracker Barrel last night

lovesrecess — Sun, 23 Feb 2020 20:05:52 GMT

Cb is DH’s favorite restaurant when we are on the road. He loves the haddock...but that’s the only seafood we have had there. With the response you received from the manager, I would contact their corporate offices in Lebanon, TN and let them know the location of the store you visited....they need to do some major intervention. I hope they comped your husband's meal...they should have offered to right away.
With all the flu and other illnesses out there right now, eating any food that doesn't look or taste right would not be smart....send it back immediately.