Cracker Barrel is scrapping its new logo after a social media backlash and a rebuke from President Donald Trump.
‘We appreciate our guests for expressing their thoughts and affection towards Cracker Barrel. We promised to listen, and we have. Our new logo will be replaced, and the familiar ‘old timer’ will stay,’ the company announced.
Shares rose as much as 2.3 percent in after-hours trading following the news.
The uproar started last Tuesday (August 19) when the chain unveiled a new logo for the first time in 48 years. The redesign removed the image of an elderly man leaning on a barrel, leaving only the name in a refreshed font.
It also eliminated the pinto bean shape behind the name, a nod to one of the original side dishes offered when Cracker Barrel first opened in 1969.
Critics argued that the changes removed the brand’s essence and allure, leading to a loss of almost $100 million in the company’s market value last week.
Some critics compared the rebrand to Bud Light’s infamous Dylan Mulvaney campaign.
Even President Donald Trump weighed in on the change today, telling Cracker Barrel bosses to scrap the new logo.
Cracker Barrel has courted controversy with its new logo launched earlier this week
The old logo features an image of an old man leaning against a barrel
Social media buzz suggests that some users think Cracker Barrel’s fate is linked to Sydney Sweeney. On X, a digitally altered image of her, seemingly created by AI, has also gained traction.
Trump later congratulated the brand for listening to consumers.
Writing on Truth Social, he said: ‘Congratulations “Cracker Barrel” on changing your logo back to what it was.
‘All of your fans very much appreciate it. Good luck into the future. Make lots of money and, most importantly, make your customers happy again!’
This logo controversy coincides with the company’s efforts to revamp its 650 restaurants nationwide, replacing the rustic southern-style interiors with a more contemporary design.
That shift, too, has sparked backlash, with customers complaining the chain is ‘just turning into any other restaurant.’
The chain’s name traces back to barrels that were once used to deliver crackers to country stores, which later served as makeshift tables for local gatherings.
‘This rebrand says nothing about history or tradition and everything about marketing consultants making quick money,’ one Reddit user wrote. .
‘The brief: ‘remove all personality from the logo, and ensure our brand blends into and disappears into the competitive landscape,” a Reddit user wrote.
‘So they got rid of the cracker and the barrel,’ another person commented.
Americans also took to X to share memes. Some featured Mulvaney alongside the ‘new’ Cracker Barrel logo, while others recycled images from her 2023 Bud Light promotion — swapping beer cans for the barrels dropped from the logo.
Another image going viral featured another mocked up image showing Sydney Sweeney in a t-shirt showing the old logo. Users joked: ‘There’s only one person on the planet who can save Cracker Barrel.’
Several X users shared memes featuring Cracker Barrel’s new logo and Dylan Mulvaney
‘If I ever go to my local Cracker Barrel and they roll out this sign and the new interior, I genuinely won’t be going back,’ a guest revealed.
Fans are now calling on the 56-year-old chain to ‘revert to the original logo.’
However, Cracker Barrel is adamant in going through with the revamp.
‘People like what we’re doing,’ Cracker Barrel president and CEO Julie Felss Masino told Good Morning America on Tuesday.
‘Cracker Barrel needs to feel like the Cracker Barrel for today and for tomorrow — the things that you love are still there. We need people to choose us, and we want people to choose us.’
She added that the top question Florida-based managers asked her during a recent meeting was ‘How can I get a remodel, when can I get a remodel and how do I get on the list?.’
Cracker Barrel’s new fall menu and ‘all the more’ campaign could make up for fans’ disappointment in its new logo.
‘We believe in the goodness of country hospitality, a spirit that has always defined us. Our story hasn’t changed. Our values haven’t changed,’ said chief marketing officer Sarah Moore.
‘People like what we’re doing,’ Cracker Barrel president and CEO Julie Felss Masino said earlier this week
The redesign comes as the company has also been revamping its restaurants
Cracker Barrel has over 650 locations across the US
‘With ‘All the More,’ we’re honoring our legacy while bringing fresh energy, thoughtful craftsmanship and heartfelt hospitality to our guests this fall.’
Among the foods featured in its new fall menu include Sausage & Egg Hashbrown Casserole, Herb Roasted Chicken and Butter Pecan Sticky Buns.
Chains like Krispy Kreme and Dunkin’ have also dropped fall menus early.
Chick-fil-A was one of the latest to do so on August — introducing Pretzel Cheddar Club Sandwiches.
The Daily Mail has reached out to Cracker Barrel for comment on the customer backlash, and is awaiting response.
