Overview

• Cracker Barrel replaced its long-used image of “Uncle Herschel” and a barrel with a pared-down yellow emblem, aligning with a broader brand refresh.
• Company statements stress that Uncle Herschel remains prominent in restaurants and on the menu, and that core values and in-store traditions continue.
• Conservative figures labeled the change “woke,” with posts from Byron Donalds and others fueling online outrage, and Hillsdale College drew criticism for a tweet likening the redesign to defacing a George Washington statue.
• Critics spotlighted the firm’s past Pride engagement and a board member with a DEI marketing background, while the company noted it has not participated in the HRC Index for several years.
• Coverage ties the redesign to a multi-year transformation aimed at reversing slipping traffic, as other reports cite short-term market fallout, including claims of a roughly $200 million value drop and a double-digit stock decline.