Cracker Barrel Just Launched Its Fall Menu—Here’s Every Item, Ranked by a Food Editor

• What Is It: warm cinnamon apples topped with buttery crust and caramel drizzle, served with vanilla ice cream
• Price: $6.29

It wasn’t bad, but a bit disappointing. Available until October 20, this treat leaned sweet more than sweet-tart, and the apples were a bit mushier than I’d have liked. I also thought the pie crust pieces were a bit bland and underdone. A touch of salt or lemon juice would have livened this one up. That said, the brown sugar-cinnamon sauce was tasty (albeit sparse), and the ice cream was delicious. I wouldn’t have minded a bigger bowl, though.

• What Is It: Granny Smith apple purée blended with iced tea
• Price: $3.59

It was a bit too sweet for my taste, but I didn’t dislike this drink by any means. The purée tastes like apple juice crossed with an apple lollipop. I’d ask for a lemon wedge on the side next time to round out its one-note sweetness. After all, Granny Smith in the name made me hopeful for a tart, crisp edge. It’s available until October 20, as well as the Granny Smith Apple Mimosa (at select locations), made with sparkling wine instead of tea.

• What Is It: baked chicken breast smothered with creamy mushroom sauce over seasoned rice; served with two sides and biscuits or corn muffins
• Price: $13.59

A new and permanent feature on the Daily Dish lineup, this main was a mixed bag, but overall fine. (Sure, I ordered to-go, but I don’t think it would have made a difference if I hadn’t.) The mushroom sauce was super savory and creamy, and the chicken was tender—not dry—despite being a boneless, skinless baked breast. However, the rice was dry and pretty bland without the mushroom sauce. I wished there were more mushrooms, but with two sides and bread, it was a steal for less than $14.

• What Is It: slow cooked St. Louis-style ribs with tangy and sweet brown sugar BBQ sauce; served with two sides and biscuits or corn muffins
• Price: $19.39

Another new Daily Dish that’s on the menu for good, the ribs were decent. They were fresh, super tender and came in a large portion. I wouldn’t have minded more smoke or heat, but all in all, they were solid for the price. (For their thinness, I was honestly surprised they weren’t drier.) Order this one with the excellent steak fries and coleslaw.

• What Is It: cinnamon syrup, espresso and milk topped with whipped cream, cinnamon crumbles and syrup
• Price: $4.19

This limited-time seasonal favorite garners a buzz every autumn. It was very cinnamon-y without being excessively sweet. Robust, bitter espresso rounded out the vanilla-forward syrup. Personally, I liked that the hot latte allowed the syrup to dissolve (I had to stir the iced one because the syrup sank to the bottom), but I thought the iced version tasted more like custardy French toast. The cinnamon crumbles also eventually turn soggy on the hot version.

• What Is It: 10-ounce New York strip steak topped with buttery garlic sauce; served with two sides and biscuits or corn muffins
• Price: from $19.39

On my first visit (there were three, for science), I ordered the New York strip by itself with two sides. I was sharing it with a friend who likes his beef cooked well. We compromised by ordering it medium. It turned out tender for its thinness, but we both thought it was excessively salty. Curious if the temp had made it that way by concentrating the salinity, I ordered the steak and shrimp combo on my second trip, this time medium-rare. This time, the seasoning was just right (and I could better taste the garlic sauce). I wish they’d seared the fat cap on the end and better trimmed the silver skin on the edge, but it was significantly juicier and more tender than the first go round.

TLDR: If you like a rare or medium-rare steak, go for the Steak N’ Eggs or the steak with sides (I didn’t love the shrimp, due to their floury, undercooked breading). But if you need it medium or well, I’d skip it.

• What Is It: thick-cut bread soaked in vanilla custard, topped with fried apples, cheesecake filling and brown sugar streusel; comes with butter pecan syrup and breakfast meat
• Price: $11.29

I would not mind getting out of bed to devour this bad boy. It honestly gives bread pudding more than French toast. The tang of cream cheese was the ultimate foil for sweet-tart, toothsome apples and ridiculously crunchy, caramel-like streusel. The bread was a bit spongy in places but thick and satisfying. Don’t top the dish with additional syrup until tasting it; there’s a good chance you don’t need it.

• What Is It: slow-braised rib roast with carrots, onions, celery and beef gravy; served with mashed potatoes, one additional side and biscuits or corn muffins
• Price: $15.19

It’s so rare that I say this, but this main was literally perfect. No notes. It was so homey and comforting. The meat was beyond tender (no knife required!), the gravy was super savory without being oversalted; just herbaceous, decadent and simple. I really enjoyed the mashed potatoes as well. They were silky, creamy and still had a few tiny lumps, offering a rustic feel to every bite. Luckily, this gem is a permanent addition to the Daily Dish lineup.

• What Is It: pot roast with carrots, peas, onions, celery and mashed potatoes, topped with a hash brown casserole crust; served with biscuits or corn muffins
• Price: $15.69

As if the pot roast wasn’t flawless on its own, Cracker Barrel topped it with cheesy hash brown casserole and baked it to shatteringly crisp perfection to create this masterpiece. It had a stellar mix of textures (succulent meat! tender veggies! crunchy spuds!), and I thought the tangy sour cream was a stellar contrast to the savory veggies and beef. This superstar is also on the menu for good, so there’s technically no rush to try it…but I’d hit the road for it ASAP if I were you.