I ordered the same breakfast at Cracker Barrel and IHOP. Both offered value, but only one dominated most categories.

For years, I’ve watched breakfast-serving giants IHOP and Cracker Barrel make moves that have grabbed headlines, including the latest this week.

Cracker Barrel welcomed a new CEO, David Deno, and I’m curious what he has in store for the chain.

Back in August 2025, as part of a broader turnaround plan, the chain also modernized its logo by removing its signature “old timer” character and rustic barrel.

After about a week of intense customer backlash, the chain reverted to the original logo and suspended its further remodeling plans tied to the modernization push.

The fallout dampened Cracker Barrel’s final quarter of the year and, since the rebrand attempt, the chain’s quarterly sales have continued to decline.

IHOP, meanwhile, has had some steadier footing, but it hasn’t been without controversy.

Back in June 2018, the International House of Pancakes was in the hot seat for its divisive “IHOb” campaign, where it temporarily rebranded to focus on burgers.

It led to mixed reactions on social media, but did appear to boost burger sales.

The chain even reported a sales boost at the end of Q2 this year.

The uptick may be attributed to some of IHOP’s recent viral wins, from trendy Dubai-chocolate pancakes to value-focused menu offerings.

However, sales aren’t always an indicator of quality or value.

And with all the chatter about these legacy chains, I started to wonder which was truly worth a visit as a customer these days — if either.

To find out, I had Saturday brunch at each, ordering plain black coffee and comparable breakfast samplers.