This Discontinued Cracker Barrel Sandwich Was Pure Comfort Food

As the old saying goes, sometimes you just don't know what you have until it's gone. In the restaurant world, that statement certainly holds true — especially when it comes to discontinued items. There are many reasons a chain restaurant might stop serving a specific item, and that menu item's popularity doesn't necessarily mean it's not in danger of getting 86ed from the menu.

Case in point: The Cracker Barrel's roast beef entree — just one of many items the chain has discontinued over time. At some point, Cracker Barrel offered an open-faced roast beef sandwich smothered in gravy and, in some cases, even mushrooms or mashed potatoes – as a standard entree with two to three sides. A roast beef entree like this, smothered in a rich and hearty gravy, can warm the soul, especially on a chilly day. Pair it with mashed potatoes and even more gravy, Cracker Barrel's famous hashbrown casserole, plus corn muffins or biscuits, and you have a comfort-food meal fit for a king and queen.

Much to the dismay of many Cracker Barrel fans, the southern comfort food chain discontinued its roast beef dishes in early 2025. Though Cracker Barrel still has a slow-braised pot roast on its menu, it's just not the same, according to some customers. After realizing the roast beef dish was taken off the menu, customer reaction came quickly. 

The roast beef entree sandwich will be missed by customers. "That was the reason we spent so many Sunday afternoons at Cracker Barrel — it was comfort food, tradition, and nostalgia all on one plate," one Instagram user said. On Reddit, a Cracker Barrel employee expressed displeasure with the change, "Supposedly my store won't be selling roast beef ever again and so many people are so upset over it."

If there is good news for Cracker Barrel's hard-core roast beef fans, the chain has a wide range of other comfort food options. The slow-braised pot roast is the obvious replacement because it offers similar flavors and pairs well with other sides like mashed potatoes and gravy. But Cracker Barrel, overall, is just a comfort food lover's delight. The shepherd's pie, meatloaf, country fried steak, and chicken 'n dumplings also tend to be synonymous with comfort food. The chain even offers sampler platters so customers can choose a combination of two or three items, such as homestyle fried chicken, meatloaf, and chicken 'n dumplings, along with two or three sides. And that's before you even consider dessert, with options like biscuit beignets, a cinnamon roll skillet, or double-fudge chocolate Coca-Cola cake. 

With Cracker Barrel's major changes over the last few years, whether it's the newer menu or controversial logo rebranding, it's no surprise some fan favorites have been pushed to the curb. Maybe Cracker Barrel will revisit its classic roast beef entree, but, if not, the restaurant chain has more than enough other comfort food options for diners to enjoy.