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Cracker Barrel’s updated logo has caused quite an uproar on social media, drawing comparisons to Bud Light’s notorious campaign featuring Dylan Mulvaney.
Memes featuring Mulvaney alongside the ‘new’ Cracker Barrel logo have gone viral on X since the chain revealed its redesign Tuesday.
Some users have created spoof images of the transgender influencer in Cracker Barrel staff attire, while others have repurposed images from the 2023 Bud Light promotion by swapping beer cans with the barrels omitted from the new logo.
That now-infamous campaign triggered a boycott of Bud LIght that cost parent company Anheuser-Busch more than $1 billion in sales.
Now critics warn Cracker Barrel could face the same fate. On Thursday alone, the company shed nearly $100 million in market value.
“Go Woke, Go Broke. The biggest blunder since the Bud Light/Dylan Mulvaney debacle. They might as well file for bankruptcy now and save some time,” commented an X user.
This redesign marks the chain’s first update in 48 years, eliminating the classic image of an old man leaning on a barrel and the pinto bean shape behind the name—a reference to one of the original side dishes offered when the chain launched in 1969.
Critics say the changes stripped away the brand’s character and charm.
Social media users speculate that Cracker Barrel’s success might depend on Sydney Sweeney. A digitally crafted image of her—likely created via AI—has also gained viral attention on X.
Several X users shared memes featuring Cracker Barrel’s new logo and Dylan Mulvaney
Most of the images feature Mulvaney in an outfit she wore in a disastrous Bud Light ad
The rebrand comes as the company overhauls its 650 restaurants nationwide, swapping rustic southern-style interiors for a modern look.
That shift, too, has sparked backlash, with customers complaining the chain is ‘just turning into any other restaurant.’
The chain’s name is derived from barrels historically used to ship crackers to country stores, which subsequently 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,” another said.
‘So they got rid of the cracker and the barrel,’ another person commented. One simply commented: ‘Yikes,’ while another person described the change as ‘such a downgrade.’
Conservative commentators have taken particular issue with the rebrand, and Donald Trump Jr. even took to X to share his thoughts, writing: ‘WTF is wrong with Cracker Barrel??!’
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 posts on X include edited photos of Mulvaney wearing Cracker Barrel apparel
The old logo features an image of an old man leaning against a barrel
Rebrand controversies have increased over the last several years, with fans claiming that businesses are losing their charm.
Gap and McDonald’s were some of the chains Reddit users compared Cracker Barrel’s new logo to.
‘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?.’
‘People like what we’re doing,’ Cracker Barrel president and CEO Julie Felss Masino said earlier this week
The company has slowly been revamping all its 650+ restaurants nationwide
Videos of renovated Cracker Barrels (pictured) have sparked strong reactions from patrons
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.
‘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.
