Is Cracker Barrel Gluten-Free?

I agree it is not safe there. I even called the manager over to see if I could be safe with anything they offer. She told me I would be fine with a fish offering. I trusted her! Nope! Twelve hours of pain and misery. I wrote to home office and explained that they need to warn their managers to “Just say NO, we have nothing here that is safe for you.” They sent along a gift card! I’ll buy a blouse with it! Stay clear of Cracker Barrel. Too bad, I loved bringing the grandkids there before my diagnosis! 

11 minutes ago, Marilyn Frye said:

I agree it is not safe there. I even called the manager over to see if I could be safe with anything they offer. She told me I would be fine with a fish offering. I trusted her! Nope! Twelve hours of pain and misery. I wrote to home office and explained that they need to warn their managers to “Just say NO, we have nothing here that is safe for you.” They sent along a gift card! I’ll buy a blouse with it! Stay clear of Cracker Barrel. Too bad, I loved bringing the grandkids there before my diagnosis! 

Probably due to cross contamination from being cooked on the same grills or in the same vats as breaded food items.

I’ve eaten at Cracker Barrel several times, as have my many celiac family members and friends. We have varying degrees of sensitivities to gluten. We’ve never had a problem. I always stick to the breakfast menu and get eggs, bacon, and hash browns and have had no reactions. 

As always, be cautious of cross contamination (always mention gluten allergy and/or celiac to the staff), but I have had good luck in the past at a couple of local Cracker Barrel restaurants. I am a diagnosed celiac for over 8 years and I am fortunate to not be overly sensitive. It is not on their menu, but they prepare a very good omelet. I usually get one with onions, tomatoes, cheese, and ham {usually country ham). They also offer green peppers, I think. I have also had no problems with scrambled or fried eggs as well as bacon, sausage (link or patties), and grits. I also enjoy the fried apples and they have a fruit cup. Unfortunately, no hash brown casserole, though. You can put together a very tasty breakfast there.

Lunch and dinner, however, are more challenging. About the only thing I have had is the ham (all three varieties) with any of there plain vegetables like broccoli, whole kernel corn, green beans and pinto beans, carrots and coleslaw. I had no problems with the steak fries, although they are probably too risky for sensitive people. (However, my heart breaks when someone at the table orders fried okra - pre-celiac, that was my all-time favorite. No more...)

glf01, lack of symptoms from minor amounts of gluten from cross contamination does not guarantee that no inflammation is occurring. That can be the danger of being a relatively unsensitive celiac.

8 hours ago, glf01 said:

As always, be cautious of cross contamination (always mention gluten allergy and/or celiac to the staff), but I have had good luck in the past at a couple of local Cracker Barrel restaurants. I am a diagnosed celiac for over 8 years and I am fortunate to not be overly sensitive. It is not on their menu, but they prepare a very good omelet. I usually get one with onions, tomatoes, cheese, and ham {usually country ham). They also offer green peppers, I think. I have also had no problems with scrambled or fried eggs as well as bacon, sausage (link or patties), and grits. I also enjoy the fried apples and they have a fruit cup. Unfortunately, no hash brown casserole, though. You can put together a very tasty breakfast there.

Lunch and dinner, however, are more challenging. About the only thing I have had is the ham (all three varieties) with any of there plain vegetables like broccoli, whole kernel corn, green beans and pinto beans, carrots and coleslaw. I had no problems with the steak fries, although they are probably too risky for sensitive people. (However, my heart breaks when someone at the table orders fried okra - pre-celiac, that was my all-time favorite. No more...)

@glf01my case sounds very similar to yours. I was diagnosed with celiac disease about seven months ago, following blood work and an endoscopy. After that, I have gone strictly gluten-free but have been eating out occasionally at places that have gluten-free offerings on the menu; I have never had an issue after eating out, although I do take Gliadin-X as a precaution. The only problem I have is if too much dairy is consumed at one time. However, as @trents replied, this does not mean no inflammation is occurring in the GI tract. Prior to being diagnosed, my only symptoms were bloating and abdominal cramps at night. Those symptoms have disappeared altogether after switching to a gluten-free diet for six months. I never suffered from the other commonly reported more severe symptoms such as diarrhea, rashes, nausea or vomiting. So it appears that like you, I am not a very sensitive celiac as well.

10 hours ago, trents said:

glf01, lack of symptoms from minor amounts of gluten from cross contamination does not guarantee that no inflammation is occurring. That can be the danger of being a relatively unsensitive celiac.

Trents, Thanks for the reply, and providing an important reminder that gluten damage can be silent. In my case, I recently had biopsy confirmation that my celiac is well controlled, so at least long term damage from inflammation seems minimal.

Cracker Barrel does have a very few gluten "free" items- mostly breakfast items, salad and vegetables. However they do say to avoid anything grilled in case of cross contamination. So that then eliminates several of their gluten-free offerings such as grilled chicken tenders, grilled fish and grilled ham.  I am very sensitive but have never had a problem with the vegetables they have recommended. They do have an allergen listing available for people with food allergies- if you ask.

I eat at Cracker Barrel quite frequently.  I have severe problems, but the restaurant I go to has a printed menu for all kinds of eating disorders.  I always ask for any unmarinated meats and if they need to be cooked, please cook on foil away from other peoples spices, etc.  I eat the baked potato and steamed broccoli or slaw.  I  have had no trouble, but I think it wise to speak to the manager on duty to make sure they understand your situation.

5 minutes ago, Guest Marie G. said:

I eat at Cracker Barrel quite frequently.  I have severe problems, but the restaurant I go to has a printed menu for all kinds of eating disorders.  I always ask for any unmarinated meats and if they need to be cooked, please cook on foil away from other peoples spices, etc.  I eat the baked potato and steamed broccoli or slaw.  I  have had no trouble, but I think it wise to speak to the manager on duty to make sure they understand your situation.

I did look at the book that had pages and pages of information about the menu items! I even asked for the manager to double check that the kitchen would follow necessary protocol! She assured me I would be fine. I barely got home before the pains began and I spent twelve hours in and out of my bathroom. I don’t blame the chain, some of their restaurants are safe, I’m sure, but the one down the road let me down. It had to have been cross contamination on the grill. There was nothing in that meal that would have caused such a painful reaction if I had cooked it in my own kitchen. I really blame the manager for this event not the chain. She should have followed up to insure the cooks knew how important it was, especially since I told her before the order went in. 
I was there off hours, not in a dinner rush crowd. 

I eat breakfast at Cracker Barrel with regularity and in several states. If you stick with breakfast food which is served all day you can eat cracked eggs, regular hash browns (not the hash brown casserole), bacon and fried apples. Never had a problem with these four items. Otherwise, there is not much for celiacs

That’s all too much fat and cholesterol for myself, but good advice for younger folk. I always loved the place but once you get sick for 12 hours it’s hard to trust them for a return visit. I had the word of the manager that I would be fine with a fish and salad. Nope, she was mistaken. Too big of a chance for cross contamination for me to go back.