Southern breakfast food can make your morning feel special, and nothing hits quite like a good plate of biscuits smothered in creamy gravy. But here’s something most people don’t realize: not all restaurant versions are created equal. Some chains serve up dry, tasteless disasters that’ll make you wish you’d stayed home and made toast instead. After looking at what real customers say about different restaurant chains, one name keeps coming up as the absolute worst offender. The good news is that plenty of other spots get it right, so you won’t have to give up this breakfast classic completely.
Cracker Barrel serves the worst biscuits and gravy
This one surprises a lot of people because Cracker Barrel built its whole reputation on Southern comfort food. The restaurant opened back in 1969 in Tennessee and now has about 680 locations across the country. You’d think they’d have this dish figured out by now, but customer reviews tell a completely different story. People complain constantly about the gravy tasting like old, rancid bacon fat, and the biscuits showing up cold, stale, and way too small for the price you’re paying.
What makes it even worse is the portion problem. Multiple customers have pointed out that when two people at the same table both order biscuits and gravy, the restaurant brings out the exact same tiny amount of gravy they’d give to just one person. The biscuits themselves get described as thin, hard, and frankly disappointing. For a place that charges decent money and claims to specialize in this type of food, these complaints show up way too often to ignore. Other chains might mess up occasionally, but Cracker Barrel’s issues seem consistent across different locations.
Black Bear Diner skimps on the gravy
Walking into a Black Bear Diner feels fun with all the bear decorations and rustic vibe, but that atmosphere can’t save their biscuits and gravy. This chain started in California back in 1995 and now has around 160 locations spread across 13 states. The biggest complaint people have is simple: there’s barely any gravy on the plate. When you order biscuits and gravy, you expect the biscuits to be swimming in that creamy sauce, not sitting there dry and sad looking.
Customers say the ratio is completely off, with huge biscuits getting just a tiny drizzle of gravy. Some reviewers even claim the restaurant doesn’t use real sausage gravy at all, just plain white sauce without any meat in it. One person said their order arrived cold and dry, with barely enough gravy to cover one biscuit, let alone two. For the money you spend, getting a proper amount of gravy shouldn’t be too much to ask. When the main component of your dish is missing or inadequate, the whole meal falls apart.
Broken Yolk Cafe has a funky aftertaste problem
Most people outside California and a few surrounding states haven’t heard of Broken Yolk Cafe, which has about 40 locations total. Their breakfast menu looks promising on paper, offering Betty’s Southern Biscuit & Gravy with buttermilk biscuits, gravy, and your choice of fried chicken, sausage, or bacon, plus hash browns or fruit on the side. Sounds great, right? The problem is that multiple customers report a weird, unpleasant aftertaste that ruins the whole experience.
One reviewer said the biscuit tasted fine at first but then left a strange taste in their mouth that wouldn’t go away. The gravy had the same issue, plus it came out lumpy and bland. Another person described the biscuits as doughy and the gravy as just mediocre at best. Someone else even mentioned the gravy tasted oddly sweet, which is definitely not what you want in a savory breakfast dish. When something tastes off enough that multiple people mention it in reviews, that’s a red flag worth paying attention to before you waste your money.
Hardee’s gets mixed reviews that lean negative
Hardee’s makes a big deal about baking their biscuits from scratch every 15 minutes starting at 4 a.m., which sounds impressive. They serve over 10 different biscuit dishes, from ribeye steak and egg to hand-breaded chicken versions. For people who just want biscuits and gravy, they offer both a regular and double portion. The problem is that customer opinions split down the middle, with plenty of people saying the dish misses the mark completely.
Some customers love it and stop there every chance they get, but just as many people describe it as terrible. One reviewer said it looked and tasted like powdered water poured over a hockey puck, which is pretty harsh but paints a clear picture. Another person complained their sausage gravy didn’t have a single piece of sausage in it, just plain white sauce. When a restaurant can’t consistently deliver the basics of a simple dish like biscuits and gravy, that inconsistency alone makes it risky to order. You might get lucky, or you might end up with an inedible mess.
Hash House A Go Go serves hit or miss portions
With only 10 locations nationwide, including four in Las Vegas, Hash House A Go Go stays pretty niche. They’re known for creative twists on Midwest-inspired food, and their biscuits and sausage gravy comes with two eggs and griddled mashed potatoes. Some people absolutely love their version, praising the generous gravy portions and saying their biscuits arrive swimming in sauce just like they should. These happy customers describe it as their favorite part of the meal.
But plenty of other diners have the opposite experience, finding the gravy bland and flavorless while the biscuits come out rock hard. The inconsistency seems to be the real issue here. When you’re paying Hash House prices, which tend to run higher than typical breakfast spots, you shouldn’t have to gamble on whether your food will be good or bad. Some locations might nail it while others completely fail, and you won’t know which one you’re getting until your plate arrives at the table.
Bob Evans offers decent gravy but forgettable biscuits
Bob Evans started as a sausage business that got so popular the founder had to build a restaurant just to handle all the people showing up at his Ohio farm. That was back in 1962, and the chain has grown significantly since then. Their biscuits and gravy features those famous sausages in the gravy, which should give them an advantage. The portions are definitely generous, which some people appreciate, and one reviewer said the gravy has good taste to it.
The biscuits themselves don’t impress anyone though. They’re described as basic and nothing special, just okay at best. Some customers have had worse experiences, saying the gravy looked like brown goop and tasted like someone dumped an entire salt shaker into it. The biscuits were the only good part of those bad orders. When half your dish works and half doesn’t, the whole meal feels disappointing. You’re better off finding a place that gets both components right.
First Watch uses turkey sausage instead of pork
First Watch puts its own spin on the classic by using turkey sausage instead of traditional pork sausage in the gravy. The dish comes with a house-baked buttermilk biscuit, cage-free eggs cooked however you want them, and seasoned potatoes on the side. Some people love this version and call it delicious, saying it’s the best they’ve had in ages. The restaurant’s employees even post about how much they love it on social media.
But traditional biscuits and gravy fans often hate the turkey sausage substitution. One person who describes themselves as a hardcore biscuits and gravy lover said the turkey sausage completely overpowered everything else, making the whole dish taste too meaty in a weird way. They also complained the biscuit came out too soft, turning mushy when the gravy soaked in instead of holding its texture. If you’re expecting the classic pork sausage version, this will definitely disappoint you. The turkey sausage changes the whole taste profile in a way that doesn’t work for everyone.
IHOP makes a decent middle of the road option
The International House of Pancakes obviously focuses mainly on pancakes, but they also offer biscuits and gravy as part of a combo meal. You get warm, flaky buttermilk biscuits with gravy, plus two eggs, two sausage links, two bacon strips, and hash browns. It’s a lot of food for the money. Customer reviews land somewhere in the middle, with some people saying the gravy tastes good without being too salty, while others find it just okay or even disappointing.
The biggest advantage IHOP has is consistency and availability. With locations everywhere, you know what you’re getting, and it won’t be awful even if it’s not amazing. Some customers specifically praise the generous portions and the fact that the gravy doesn’t taste like it came from a package. Others say it’s nothing special but fills you up for a reasonable price. If you’re stuck at an IHOP and need breakfast, the biscuits and gravy won’t ruin your day, but it probably won’t be memorable either.
Popeyes and Denny’s actually get it right
Surprisingly, Popeyes serves some of the best biscuits and gravy you can get at a chain restaurant. Most people don’t even realize Popeyes offers this dish since they’re known for fried chicken. Their biscuits come out buttery and flaky with the perfect texture, and they don’t need honey or jelly because they taste great on their own. The gravy has real sausage flavor and coats the biscuits just right. For a fast food place, the quality blows away most sit-down restaurants.
Denny’s also does a solid job with their version. The biscuits have a delicate crispy outside with a soft, fluffy inside that soaks up the rich gravy perfectly. Reviewers describe it as decadent, with just the right amount of butter that doesn’t leave a greasy feeling. The gravy tastes homemade rather than like it came from a powder mix. Multiple taste tests put Denny’s near the top of the rankings, with people saying they’d happily order it again. When you’re craving biscuits and gravy, these two chains deliver quality that matches or beats fancier breakfast spots.
The next time you’re tempted to order biscuits and gravy at Cracker Barrel, remember that dozens of disappointed customers wish they’d gone somewhere else instead. Save your money and your morning by choosing a restaurant that actually knows how to make this simple Southern breakfast right. Whether you hit up Popeyes, Denny’s, or even IHOP for a safe middle option, you’ll end up way happier than if you’d taken a chance on the chains that consistently mess it up.
