I ordered the same breakfast at Cracker Barrel and IHOP. Both offered value, but only one dominated most categories.
For years, I’ve watched breakfast-serving giants IHOP and Cracker Barrel make moves that have grabbed headlines, including the latest this week.
Cracker Barrel welcomed a new CEO, David Deno, and I’m curious what he has in store for the chain.
He’s taking the reins after a turbulent time for the brand. Back in August 2025, as part of a broader turnaround plan, the chain modernized its logo by removing its signature “old timer” character, Uncle Hershel, and rustic barrel.
After about a week of intense customer backlash, the chain reverted to the original logo and suspended its further modernization plans, saying in a statement at the time that Hershel was “not going anywhere — he’s family.”
The fallout dampened Cracker Barrel’s final quarter of the year and, since the rebrand attempt, the chain’s quarterly sales have continued to decline.
IHOP, meanwhile, has had some steadier footing. Still, it hasn’t been without controversy.
Back in June 2018, the International House of Pancakes was in the hot seat for its divisive “IHOb” campaign, where it temporarily rebranded to focus on burgers. An IHOP spokesperson called the campaign “fun.”
It led to mixed reactions on social media, but did appear to boost burger sales. The chain even reported a sales boost at the end of Q2 2026, which may be attributed to some of IHOP’s recent viral wins, from trendy Dubai-chocolate pancakes to value-focused menu offerings.
However, sales aren’t always an indicator of quality or value. And with all the chatter about these legacy chains, I started to wonder which was truly worth a visit as a customer these days — if either.
To find out, I had Saturday brunch at each, ordering plain black coffee and comparable breakfast samplers.
Here’s how the chains stacked up.
I started at Cracker Barrel, which had a classic down-home vibe.
Cracker Barrel is a Tennessee-based chain operating almost 660 locations across 44 states.
Around since 1969, it’s known for Southern comfort food, an all-day breakfast menu, and country stores attached to its restaurants.
The location I visited clearly seemed to embrace its roots, featuring outdoor rocking chairs, farmhouse-style windows and furniture, patriotic bunting, and vintage-style decor.
Nearly every table was occupied.
IHOP was my second stop, and it didn’t feel quite as cozy.
Only half a mile away stood IHOP, a significantly larger chain with over 1,800 restaurants worldwide.
Established in California in 1958, IHOP is recognized for its fluffy buttermilk pancakes and expansive breakfast menu, as well as select 24-hour locations.
At around 70% full, this restaurant didn’t match the bustle of Cracker Barrel and, by comparison, I felt it lacked character with its minimal design. The leathery booths looked basic but sleek, and the walls were mostly decorated with what appeared to be promotional photos of menu items.
To be fair, IHOP’s theme is more “pancakes,” not Southern comfort.
Cracker Barrel’s breakfast menu didn’t impress me much, but it did include some basics.
Cracker Barrel seemed to serve everything under the sun, from breakfast through dinner.
Although it felt too early to think about things like meatloaf and honey-butter fried chicken, I appreciated the broad selection of entrées throughout the menu.
That said, the breakfast section fell short for me. Although I saw staples like French toast and cinnamon rolls, it lacked basics like crepes, waffles, and omelets.
IHOP had an extensive breakfast menu.
In addition to pancakes, IHOP listed sweet and savory crepes, avocado toast, omelets, waffles, and more — basically all the items I wished to see at Cracker Barrel.
The lunch and dinner offerings — primarily sandwiches and the aforementioned burges — were no match for Cracker Barrel’s. At least I only wanted breakfast.
Both samplers were similar in price.
At Cracker Barrel, I ordered grandma’s sampler with two buttermilk pancakes, two scrambled eggs, and a sampling of bacon, sausage, and ham. My meal also came with one side, so I picked hash-brown casserole.
It cost $13.49.
My IHOP breakfast sampler included two buttermilk pancakes, two eggs (again, I chose scrambled), two strips of bacon, two sausage links, two slices of ham, and hash browns.
It came to $14.79.
I started each meal with a coffee, and Cracker Barrel’s brew didn’t wow me.
As a Starbucks Pike Place girl, I felt Cracker Barrel’s brew tasted weak and watered down. It reminded me of instant coffee and wasn’t as strong as I usually like.
On the bright side, it wasn’t bitter or acidic, and it came out piping hot. My cup cost $3.39, which seemed steep until I learned about the bottomless refills.
IHOP’s coffee didn’t wow me either, but I liked having my refills right on the table.
When my server brought out a personal pot and a darling mug, the coffee experience felt instantly special. A signature IHOP move, yes, but it got me.
The coffee tasted stronger than Cracker Barrel’s, though not by much. The pot and mug were highlights, not the coffee itself.
My coffee (also with unlimited refills) cost $3.69.
Cracker Barrel’s enormous pancakes took up an entire plate.
I was impressed by the sheer size of Cracker Barrel’s pancakes, the hefty serving of butter, and the individual syrup bottles.
The pancakes had a classic buttermilk flavor and a sweet, nostalgic taste, even without syrup. More spongy than soft, they had a chewy bite — not fluffy,” per se, but still enjoyable.
IHOP’s pancakes were smaller and fluffier.
I had high expectations for IHOP’s pancakes, and they delivered.
Light and pillowy with a cake-like softness, these went above and beyond in the texture department.
Taste-wise, they were rich, slightly tangy, and more buttery than sweet, so the syrup brought the perfect balance. I opted for old-fashioned syrup, just one of the four options sitting on the table.
The butter wasn’t as generous as Cracker Barrel’s, nor was the size, but these pancakes made up for it in thickness.
I wouldn’t order Cracker Barrel’s scrambled eggs again.
I prefer my scrambled eggs airy and moist, not dense and dry.
Unfortunately, the eggs I got at Cracker Barrel this time seemed overcooked, and the flavor didn’t redeem them. In fact, they didn’t taste like much of anything to me, even after I added salt.
Next time, I might try ordering my eggs cooked differently here.
IHOP’s scrambled eggs had a unique flavor.
Soft, bodied, and well-salted, IHOP’s scrambled eggs felt like the opposite of Cracker Barrel’s.
They tasted buttery and a hint cheesy — delicious yet surprising, since, as far as I can tell, the scramble did not include either ingredient.
Cracker Barrel’s bacon was OK.
If bacon is crisp and tender, salty and smoky, it’s bound to be a win for me.
Cracker Barrel’s bacon hit most of the above, but it missed on crispiness. I wished the strips had more crunch and less fat.
IHOP’s bacon was a bit too greasy for me.
I thought Cracker Barrel’s bacon was fatty, but IHOP’s made it seem less so. On these strips, I couldn’t dodge the rubbery parts.
To its credit, the bacon had a solid flavor. However, the squishy texture and excess grease made it a hard pass for me.
Cracker Barrel’s sausage came as a patty.
Small but mighty, the sausage patty had a surprisingly bold, smoky flavor. It tasted cured — almost like ham.
The patty was smaller than the palm of my hand, and I wish the portion size had been a bit bigger.
IHOP’s sausage links felt classic.
Distinct from Cracker Barrel’s single patty, IHOP’s sampler came with two links.
They were the definition of breakfast sausage links: salted, spiced, and juicy on the inside. I enjoyed them dipped in syrup.
Cracker Barrel’s hash-brown casserole was the highlight of the meal.
I took a break from breakfast meats to try hash-brown casserole. It features shredded potatoes, Colby cheese, onions, and the chain’s signature seasoning blend, all baked together.
I’d go back to the restaurant for this side alone.
These spuds had a robust flavor. The onion and spices popped, as did the cheese. It evoked a cozy, comforting loaded potato, seasoned to perfection.
I enjoyed the oven-browned top and the soft, not-soggy middle. My only critique: The top could have been crispier. However, I chalked it up to the dish being baked rather than fried.
IHOP’s hash browns were crispy, but they couldn’t compete with Cracker Barrel’s.
With golden edges and caramelized bits, all shimmering with oil, I knew IHOP’s hash browns would be crispy.
Unfortunately, the taste wasn’t as exciting. These hash browns reminded me of bland tots, and they left me dreaming of Cracker Barrel’s casserole version.
I didn’t find Cracker Barrel’s ham to be particularly appetizing.
When I saw a multicolored and segmented slice of ham on my plate, I was skeptical. Although the portion size seemed decent, it didn’t look super appetizing to me.
Cracker Barrel’s ham had a bacon-like flavor and a tough, chewy texture. I could forgive the flavor, but the firmness made it difficult to eat. I wouldn’t get this again.
I much preferred IHOP’s ham.
After Cracker Barrel, I hoped for a regular slice of ham at IHOP. I got two.
IHOP’s ham didn’t feel like anything special, but I approved of the uniform color, tenderness, and nice glazed edges. Above all else, I was glad it tasted like ham and wasn’t overly chewy.
Overall, both chains felt like a bargain.
Before tax and tip, my sampler and coffee cost $16.88 at Cracker Barrel and $18.48 at IHOP.
Considering the amount of food I got, both chains seemed like a great value.
Neither restaurant checked every box, but IHOP checked more of them.
Yes, my IHOP meal cost $1.60 more, but I felt it came with double the bacon, sausage, and ham. The breakfast meats weren’t my favorite, but they still felt like a bigger bang for my buck.
I also liked that its breakfast menu had significantly more variety, with all the basics and then some. Above all else, of the seven items I tested, I preferred IHOP’s version for five of them.
In the end, just one item at each chain truly blew me away. For me, the only things worth going back for were the hash-brown casserole at Cracker Barrel and the buttermilk pancakes at IHOP.
I’m especially tempted by the latter, especially with varieties like protein, tres leches, and cheesecake on the menu.
Business Insider reached out to IHOP and Cracker Barrel for comment.
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