Save Money At Cracker Barrel With This Simple Dining Tip

Cracker Barrel is popular for a reason. Customers love its hearty all-day breakfasts, Southern-inspired comfort food like biscuits and gravy, and its general store. What's more, if you're looking to save some money, the chain offers Early Dinner Deals, where you can get an entree for as little as $8.99 if you dine between 4 and 6 p.m. on a weeknight.

Cracker Barrel's Early Dinner menu has featured fan-favorite dishes such as its Crispy Homestyle Chicken — a perfectly fried chicken breast — the Best Classic Meatloaf topped with savory tomato sauce, and Country Fried Steak smothered in Sawmill gravy. Each dinner comes with your choice of two sides and, in some cases, biscuits or corn muffins. While menu options vary by location and the exact size of these portions compared to regular entrees is unclear (though they are advertised as being smaller), the deals can be a great way to save money if you have a smaller appetite or prefer not to be burdened with leftovers.

One downside to Cracker Barrel's Early Dinner Deals is that they are only available for dine-in during the specified hours. However, if you're ordering takeout or feeding a group, the restaurant also offers Family Meals. For example, you can get a family-sized portion of meatloaf along with your choice of 10 fried or grilled chicken tenders, three dipping sauces, two sides (think mac and cheese and Southern-style green beans), and buttermilk biscuits for $63.99. Since the Family Meal feeds five people, that comes out to about $12.70 per serving — still a solid deal for a hearty dinner.

The good news is that ordering from the Early Dinner or Family Meal menus isn't the only way to save money at Cracker Barrel. The same hack that gets you a cheaper steak at Texas Roadhouse — ordering from its Rangers menu — can also get you a smaller, budget-friendly meal here. Cracker Barrel's kids' menu offers a range of classic options that adults can order too, making it a great choice whether you're dining in or taking out, for smaller portions or budget-friendly meals.

For example, Cracker Barrel's pancakes are famously delicious, and you can get three miniature ones with bacon for under $6 if you order from the kids' menu. Other satisfying options include the Biscuit Breakfast Sandwich, which comes with a sausage patty, scrambled eggs, and a side of the chain's Hashbrown Casserole for $6.49. You can easily add another side — say, its Spicy Chicken Sausage for $0.99 or two buttermilk pancakes for $2.59 — to make a filling breakfast for under $10.

Even the priciest items on the kids' menu — the Crispy Rockin' Shrimp and Lil' Barrel Cheeseburgers — cost less than $8 and come with one classic side and a buttermilk biscuit or corn muffin. You can upgrade your meal by adding a side, such as a Loaded Baked Potato or Bacon Mac and Cheese, for $2.59. Whatever you choose, Cracker Barrel makes it easy to enjoy a delicious, comforting meal without spending a fortune.