Will Cracker Barrel Be Open On Thanksgiving Day 2025?

In the U.S., Thanksgiving is one of the biggest eating days of the year, but that doesn't mean it has to be one of the biggest home cooking days. Some folks opt to outsource their dinner to a favorite restaurant. In fact, a 2022 National Restaurant Association survey of more than 1,000 people found that 57% of them planned to dine out during the holiday season. If you'd rather take a load off this Thanksgiving and enjoy some old country favorites, Cracker Barrel is an option. In the same way it has in previous years, the restaurant will be open during its regular business hours for the holiday.

Folks who come into the store on Thanksgiving Day will get the chance to order from a special menu (in lieu of the regular menu) beginning at 11 a.m. For $17.49 you can snag a home-style turkey and dressing meal that includes slices of turkey and dressing with turkey gravy, sweet potato casserole, green beans, cranberry relish, dinner rolls, and — to finish with something sweet — a slice of pumpkin pie. If turkey isn't your shtick, the restaurant will also be serving chicken n' dumplins (which 23% of Mashed readers named as the best Cracker Barrel menu item in a 2021 poll.) The plate comes with simmered shredded chicken in a rich gravy with scratch-made dumplings. Tack on a couple of traditional sides (think, sweet potato casserole, green beans, carrots, corn, or mac and cheese) and dinner rolls for $10.49. For folks who want a vegetarian meal, a country vegetable plate is on offer for which you can choose four sides for $10.99.

If you do head to the old country restaurant on November 27, don't expect to be there alone. According to a 2018 press release, Thanksgiving is Cracker Barrel's busiest day. Thankfully, the eatery has made it easy for folks looking to enjoy the seasonal offerings to get the goods without exorbitant wait times by allowing you to pre-order your meal online as early as November 22. If you really want to get that hosting dinner feel without all the back-breaking work, the restaurant is also whipping up Heat and Serve feasts. These can be pre-ordered online and picked up between November 22 and November 30. They come with heating instructions and a promise to have dinner on the table in two hours.

One of the options is a four- to six-person feast for $114.99 that includes an oven roasted turkey breast, cornbread stuffing, turkey gravy, cranberry relish, sweet potato casserole, green beans and sweet rolls. A larger iteration which serves eight to 10 people comes with all the same fixings plus an additional turkey breast, mashed potatoes, pecan pie, and pumpkin pie for $184.99. If you're feeling frisky, you can also add family-size dishes such as a tray of loaded hash brown casserole, mac and cheese, broccoli and cheddar casserole, a whole apple streusel pie, and a cinnamon roll pie for an additional cost.