Cracker Barrel reverted to its classic “Old Timer” logo just one week after a streamlined version ignited a political and cultural backlash, amplifying corporate culture wars seen with brands like Bud Light and Target.
The Wall Street Journal reports the controversy, fueled by conservative activists, President Trump, and a swarm of fake social media accounts, has left the 56-year-old nostalgia-driven chain grappling with a prolonged recovery, spooking investors, unsettling employees, and alienating customers.
Chief Executive Julie Felss Masino, who joined in 2023 to revive the struggling restaurant chain, now faces heightened challenges in turning around sales for its 660 locations, where customer traffic remains below prepandemic levels and the customer base skews 65 and older.
Masino, a 54-year-old Ohio native with experience at Taco Bell, Starbucks, and Mattel, spent over a year with her team, alongside consultants Bain and Prophet, strategizing a brand refresh. Bain’s 2024 findings revealed customer dissatisfaction with food quality and service speed. Despite a focus on country hospitality since its 1969 founding by Dan Evins, who built Cracker Barrel around old-time country store nostalgia, the chain’s rebranding missteps have underscored the difficulty of modernizing while preserving tradition.
The company stated it is now prioritizing food and guest experience, learning from the logo and remodel backlash.