Quality of Life issues - Retail Manager Cracker Barrel Employee Review

2.0
May 18, 2010
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

Salary was fair, bonuses were great...as long as you hit all of your numbers. You control a good portion of the what merchandise is ordered for your store so you can jump on popular trends fast.

Cons

The recruiter had no real working knowledge of what a retail manager's life is like...she told me this when she left the company. You have two companies (restaurant and retail) under one roof. The relationship between general manager and retail manager will decide your job satisfaction. Some of them leave you completely alone (that's ok), some of them appreciate what you do (a huge part of their bonus comes from your profitabiltiy) these are the best, and some try to run your retail store like a restaurant (which doesn't work) these are the worst. The general manager can give you a bad review even when you've done every thing the way "Cracker Barrel University" taught you and your sales and bonus numbers are through the roof.

Explore other reviews about Cracker Barrel

5.0
Feb 10, 2026
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

Caring and extremely high energy servers, cooks and hostess. The management handles everything at the restaurant with integrity and competence. They know and love their guests. They even know what they order and their other preferences.

Cons

The cuts in hours they are forced to make due to corporate interference.

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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