The Only Days Of The Week You Can Order Cracker Barrel's Meatloaf Lunch

When you're craving a homecooked meal but don't feel like making it yourself, Cracker Barrel is an option. This folksy restaurant chain is best known for its ample Southern charm and wholesome dishes, including its home-style meatloaf. If you have a hankering for this filling dish, you must plan your visit wisely, as Cracker Barrel's weekday lunch meatloaf is only available Monday through Friday.

For $10.99, diners can enjoy a veritable midday feast, complete with your choice of corn muffins or biscuits, as well as two country sides. While mashed potatoes are the traditional choice, other side dishes include mac and cheese with bacon, vegetable soup, fried okra, or hashbrown casserole. Cracker Barrel also offers convenient take-home meals for just $6 when you order the meatloaf, including fried chicken and mac and cheese, grilled chicken and mashed potatoes, or meatloaf and mac and cheese. Take-home meals just need reheating and are a great option for a quick and easy dinner that doesn't skimp on flavor.

Cracker Barrel is notoriously tight-lipped about what goes into its dishes, which is why it doesn't offer recipes to its customers. That hasn't stopped many from trying to pinpoint what exactly makes the chain's meatloaf so good, with some positing that the use of Ritz crackers is key, as most meatloaf recipes use breadcrumbs to enhance texture and keep the beef moist. However, the restaurant is quite transparent about its process for creating its homey dishes.

For instance, whenever possible, the chain uses homegrown ingredients, from produce to meat. Additionally, many Cracker Barrel dishes are homemade, including mashed potatoes, breaded chicken, biscuits, and gravy, among many other items. For those items that Cracker Barrel doesn't make personally, the restaurant sources them from purveyors equally committed to quality. For instance, the chain gets its sausage from Purnell's, a company that's been in business since 1932. This commitment to good, honest food is evident in Cracker Barrel's other popular dishes.

If you're looking for a change from meatloaf, Cracker Barrel has many other tasty dishes available during the week. Its chicken n' dumplings is particularly popular, as each year, Cracker Barrel provides diners with more than 11 million servings. Similar to the meatloaf, chicken n' dumplings come with either corn muffins or biscuits, as well as your choice of one country side (while the meatloaf is accompanied by two side dishes).

The Pick 2 Country Combos are another fine choice for a weekday lunch, especially if you're looking for something a little lighter. Options include the loaded baked potato, house salad, vegetable soup, or a loaded baked sweet potato. And because no downhome lunch would be complete without a refreshing beverage, you can also pair your meal with lemonade, fresh brewed iced tea, or Southern Half & Half, which features a combination of iced tea and lemonade. With lunch options like these, you may never have to suffer through a dull, unfulfilling weekday lunch again.