11 Discontinued Cracker Barrel Menu Items We're Probably Not Getting Back

Cracker Barrel Old Country Store, also known simply as Cracker Barrel, has been dishing up Southern comfort food since 1969. Since then, the restaurant chain has offered a lengthy menu. It provides an all-day breakfast option, as well as lunch and dinner starting at 11 a.m.

The first location opened its doors in Lebanon, Tennessee, and since then, it has expanded to hundreds of locations nationwide. While iconic signature menu items — such as Cornbread Muffins, Turnip Greens, and Country Ham — have remained staples, some popular plates have been discontinued, much to the dismay of loyal customers.

If you've been a regular at Cracker Barrel for years, you might be seeking official confirmation on which entrees have come and gone. Or maybe you're just here for a Cracker Barrel menu history lesson, intrigued by tales of its once-famous but now-absent Lima Beans, Frozen Mugs, and Red-Eye gravy, among others. Since Cracker Barrel rarely brings back discontinued items for good, reminiscing might be all you can do. While the company has sporadically brought back selections like its Campfire Meals seasonally, these reappearances are rare and often leave us wanting more. Ahead, we've compiled a list of 11 discontinued Cracker Barrel items that we're probably not getting back — like, ever.

Read more: 15 Discontinued Sodas We Aren't Getting Back

Fried Chicken Liver

It's no secret that, in true Southern form, a large portion of Cracker Barrel's menu consists of fried meats. Among them was the beloved Fried Chicken Liver, which was sneakily removed from the menu. We know it was gone by February 2021, because a disgruntled Tripadvisor user took to the platform around that time to announce that the Fried Chicken Liver was no longer available at a Portland, Maine, location of Cracker Barrel.

Since it departed from the menu, fans have persistently requested its return. Two years ago, one person commented on a Cracker Barrel Facebook post: "Please bring back your chicken liver," to which the restaurant's official Facebook page replied: "Although chicken livers are no longer on our menu, we will gladly share your request with our Culinary Team."

While the restaurant never officially addressed the reason for removing the Fried Chicken Liver from the menu, one possibility is the occasional reports of illness outbreaks linked to chicken liver in the United States, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture -- though none were specifically tied to Cracker Barrel. Alternatively, the decision could have been made simply because Cracker Barrel wanted to shake things up. In a statement to Nation's Restaurant News in 2020, Cammie Spillyards-Schaefer, vice president of Cracker Barrel's Culinary and Menu Strategy, explained: "We delete menu items from time to time to make room for new signature, craveable menu items that our guests love."

Strawberries N' Cream French Toast

As delicious as Strawberries n' Cream French Toast sounds, we're sorry to share that it's no longer part of Cracker Barrel's all-day breakfast offerings. The special treat was made available as part of the restaurant's summer 2015 menu but was gone by August 16 of that same year, according to a comment on the restaurant's official Facebook page.

Those who tried the treat before it was gone appeared to like it. In July 2015, one person took to the social media platform X, formerly known as Twitter, to express their excitement, writing: "Cracker Barrel hit the jackpot with this strawberry n cream cheese French toast breakfast."

For those who never had the opportunity to savor it (or those yearning to relive its flavors), the dish consisted of sourdough bread filled with sweet cream cheese, fresh strawberries, powdered sugar, and strawberry syrup. The good news for those mourning its loss is that Cracker Barrel's menu still boasts the comparable Momma's French Toast Breakfast. It lacks the strawberry and cream filling, which some may argue is the whole point. But hey, it's still a great option to satiate your sweet tooth.

Chicken Salad Sandwich

Cracker Barrel's Chicken Salad Sandwich was a highly coveted menu item. Before it was removed, customers could choose chicken salad as part of the chain's Country Sandwich Platters. It would be served on white or wheat sourdough bread, with a side of creamy coleslaw and either a cup of soup or steak fries.

The Chicken Salad Sandwich was removed from the Cracker Barrel menu by 2018, according to social media posts from that period. That year, one diner posted on X: "My papa just said 'corporate America got me in the jugular AGAIN' because Cracker Barrel doesn't have chicken salad sandwiches anymore." A year later, someone replied, stating in their post: "It's 2019 and I'm still upset about this." We don't know for sure why Cracker Barrel discontinued its Chicken Salad Sandwich, but we do know that it's dearly missed by many fans of the restaurant chain.

Frozen Mugs

If you ordered a beverage at Cracker Barrel in the mid-2010s, you might have experienced the restaurant's beloved Frozen Mugs. Serving people's drinks in a frosty mug was a clever way for the chain to keep drinks cold and simultaneously forego ice, which can infamously dilute one's beverage, making for a less flavorful drinking experience.

One of the last times the brand marketed its Frozen Mugs was via Facebook. In August 2016, Cracker Barrel released a post advertising a special Frozen Mug Apple Cider that undeniably got people excited about the changing seasons. But in 2018, news spread that Cracker Barrel ditched its signature Frozen Mugs when an employee posted about the decision on X.

People continue to long for the discontinued Frozen Mugs. In September 2023, another person took to X to post: "Hey @CrackerBarrel, where did the frosted mugs for @StewartsUS root beer go? How do you expect people to enjoy their nice root beer without a frozen frosted mug? Bring it back! You're expecting us to pay more for food but enjoy less hospitality?" Customers clearly miss this discontinued menu item.

Haddock Dinner

In March 2015, Cracker Barrel shared an announcement via Facebook that it was adding a Haddock Dinner to its menu — and its arrival was met with no shortage of excitement. The meal consisted of a crispy boneless white fish filet served on a platter with "your choice of any three country vegetables, plus made-from-scratch buttermilk biscuits or corn muffins and real butter," according to the social media post. At the time, the hearty meal was a steal, costing $9.99.

Despite its popularity, a regular Cracker Barrel customer noticed in September 2019 that the item was unavailable. They wrote in a Tripadvisor review: "We usually order the Haddock dinner, comes with three sides and corn muffins ... we were told it had been deleted from menu ... so disappointed!"

Nowadays, restaurant-goers treat this Facebook post as a virtual homage to the foregone Haddock Dinner. Old comments from 2015 have been buried by new ones begging for its return. Some have even stopped going altogether since it was discontinued. "This was my favorite meal at Cracker Barrel. I haven't eaten there but one time since they discontinued it," wrote a former customer in the Facebook comments.

Baked Apple Dumplin'

When the Baked Apple Dumplin' was part of the Cracker Barrel menu, it was met with much fanfare. Back then, the dessert — which cost just $3.99 — featured sweet slices of delicious golden apples with pecan streusel, oven-baked with a buttery crust, and two big scoops of vanilla ice cream.

During the coronavirus pandemic, Cracker Barrel reduced its menu, leading to the temporary removal of certain items, including the Baked Apple Dumplin'. Unfortunately, the popular dessert wasn't added back to the menu post-pandemic.

Loyal customers continue to comment on a Facebook post from 2014 that mentions the dessert, attempting to appeal to Cracker Barrel representatives. In July 2023, one person commented on the post: "This was the best dessert on your menu and better than any dessert we have had at any other restaurant! Please bring it back!" They did get a response from the restaurant chain, albeit a generic one. The Cracker Barrel Facebook page replied: "Thank you for your feedback. While Baked Apple Dumplin is currently not available on our menu, we'll be sure to pass along your request to our Culinary Team for consideration."

Red-Eye Gravy

We all have our passions. For some, that passion was Cracker Barrel's Red-Eye Gravy. The savory topping is a Southern dish that is made by combining fried ham drippings with black coffee. At Cracker Barrel, the Red-Eye Gravy was the finishing touch many looked forward to over their Cracker Barrel dishes. However, it was removed from the menu by 2017, according to upset social media users. In August of that year, a Cracker Barrel fan named Drew took to X to say: "@CrackerBarrel I was told today that you no longer offer red eye gravy. I demand answers."

The restaurant still has a variety of gravy options. Cracker Barrel continues to serve Sawmill Gravy and Brown Gravy. Plus, the restaurant occasionally comes out with limited-edition and seasonal gravies. For example, in 2021, the team shared a photo on the restaurant's Facebook page of a limited-release meal of Country Fried Turkey topped with "creamy, herbed pan gravy."

Campfire Meals

Arguably the most fun meal on Cracker Barrel's menu was its foil-wrapped Campfire Meals. True to their name, these meals evoked the experience of cooking over a campfire. Each meal featured a choice of protein like chicken, beef, or pork, accompanied by sweet seasoned corn on the cob, red skin potatoes, fresh carrots, tomato wedges, and onions, all cooked inside some foil.

The Campfire Meals were temporarily brought back in 2017 when Cracker Barrel issued a press release touching on the meals' popularity. "Our Campfire Meals are some of our most beloved seasonal dishes," said Cracker Barrel's Vice President of Culinary Cammie Spillyards-Schaefer. The press release noted that the campfire meals would be available until July.

However, they weren't brought back again in 2018, nor the year after that. One customer who noticed their disappearance wrote on X: "I'm still just disappointed that cracker barrel isn't doing campfire meals this summer."

A Facebook user suggested that health concerns might have influenced their discontinuation, as some think that cooking food in aluminum foil may be dangerous to one's health. However, a 2019 study published in Food Science & Nutrition, suggests that doing so is not a huge concern. Regardless, Cracker Barrel hasn't confirmed this as the reason for removing Campfire Meals.

Sweet Potato Pancakes

In February 2012, Cracker Barrel came out with Sweet Potato Pancakes in honor of National Sweet Potato Month. (Yes, that's a thing!) The restaurant chain shared the news in a Facebook post, alongside a photo of the sweet breakfast entrée. Pictured were three golden pancakes topped with a hearty dollop of cinnamon butter. Per the post, the restaurant chain even carried a Sweet Potato Pancake Mix in its country store so patrons could purchase and re-make the Cracker Barrel specialty at home.

The restaurant didn't overtly state they were only available for a limited time in that initial Facebook post, yet they disappeared off the menu less than two months later. Despite how short-lived they were, they made their mark. In July 2012, just months after they first hit the menu, a saddened restaurant-goer posted on X: "They really need to bring back the sweet potato pancakes (@ Cracker Barrel Old Country Store."

Lima Beans

The specific year when Cracker Barrel removed Lima Beans from its side options is unclear, but a TripAdvisor review suggests they may have been available as recently as 2020. As for what you missed out on? One visitor, who reviewed their meal via Tripadvisor in July 2013, praised them: "Those lima beans..I could have made a meal off just those. Just like my mom used to make. Perfectly seasoned with a little bacon, not a hard one in the dish. I was sorry when they were gone."

The request for Cracker Barrel's Lima Beans is so persistent that it's common to see pleas for their return in the comments on most of Cracker Barrel's Facebook posts. For instance, in response to a photo the restaurant shared promoting its Country Fried Turkey on Facebook, a user commented: "I can't believe you got rid of lima beans. you broke my heart." Cracker Barrel responded: "We will gladly share your request for Lima Beans with our Culinary Team."

This isn't the first time Cracker Barrel replied to posts begging for the return of its Lima Beans, either. In 2022, in response to a Facebook user who wrote they were "disappointed on last visit to learn lima beans not on the menu any more," the chain gave nearly the exact response that they gave before.

Beef Stew

Beef Stew is a perfect comfort food meal, so it's no surprise it used to be one of the restaurant's main attractions. The restaurant used to offer homemade Beef Stew loaded with tender beef and vegetables, and it was considered one of the restaurant's specialty dishes. It was served with corn muffins.

Sadly, per an X user, this dish was gone by 2013. In November of that year, another customer took to X to declare: "I was craving Cracker Barrel's beef stew. Stopped for some only to find they took it off the menu last month. Now I'm sobbing uncontrollably."

The longing for Cracker Barrel's Beef Stew remains so strong that in 2016, a dedicated diner started a petition on Change.org to advocate for its return. Though the petition has closed, the demand continues on various platforms. In June 2023, a hopeful social media user tagged the restaurant in a post on X, asking: "Are you ever going to bring back your beef stew?" We'll see, but since it's been discontinued for around a decade now, the chances of it returning don't seem high.

Read the original article on Daily Meal.