Hard work, sometimes low pay - Server/Waiter Cracker Barrel Employee Review

3.0
Nov 30, 2018
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

Love my coworkers Like the training and the PAR program Lots of room to move up in the company such as a manager or more. Once you do so you are treated very well with a great salary and compensations for relocation and extensive training.

Cons

Bad scheduling, not enough hours, or over too many. I've worked at two different locations and one of them was significantly busier and I made way more money. At my other location if you don't put in the hours you will fall very short. The guest are usually very old and think that two dollar tips and a $25 ticket is reasonable. Its not. If you are lucky you may get $3-$4 tips per table. When you are hired you are required to work all holidays expect Christmas. No getting to see family. Do not work here if you want a life, do not work here if you need to make money, do not work here if you want to roll LOTS of silverware do not work here if you don't want to do lots of cleaning, maintenance and upkeep that falls under you hourly server wage of basically nothing. Just know that from working at different locations there are very very different as to the experience you will have.

Explore other reviews about Cracker Barrel

5.0
Mar 17, 2026
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

Enjoyed management and my coworkers

Cons

sometimes can be strict compared to other restuarants

2.0
Jun 3, 2026
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

Most coworkers were genuinely great to work with and made shifts more enjoyable. * The guest interaction and serving aspect of the job is something I personally enjoy. * Some shifts could be positive depending on staffing and team on duty.

Cons

*Management was often unprofessional with inconsistent communication and expectations. * Certain coworker behavior occasionally affected morale and created a less positive work environment. * There was a noticeable blame culture where issues were not handled in a constructive way. * In my experience, bringing up workplace concerns or uncomfortable situations did not always feel welcomed or supported, and it sometimes felt like speaking up led to negative attention. * Scheduling and hours were inconsistent, making it hard to rely on stable income. * Inconsistent scheduling sometimes resulted in difficult shift patterns, including working split doubles (such as 9–3 followed by a 4–close shift), which often meant not getting out until around 10:30 PM and then repeating the pattern on consecutive days. * Training was limited, and expectations were often unclear, which made the job more stressful than it needed to be. * In my experience, HR concerns or formal complaints did not feel like they were taken seriously or addressed in a meaningful way.

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