Overview

• Cracker Barrel removed the longtime ‘Uncle Herschel’ figure and introduced a simplified wordmark as part of its “All the More” campaign tied to menu updates and brighter store remodels.
• Conservative politicians, influencers and celebrities criticized the change as abandoning tradition, with posts from figures including Donald Trump Jr., Byron Donalds and John Rich fueling a social‑media outcry.
• Shares fell as much as 15% on Thursday and briefly erased nearly $100 million in market value before a modest rebound Friday, leaving the stock down for the week.
• Executives assert the brand’s values are unchanged, say Uncle Herschel remains featured in restaurants and on menus, and cite internal research showing strong approval for the new logo.
• Branding experts describe the update as digitally practical but risky for a nostalgia‑driven chain, as Cracker Barrel presses ahead with a roughly $700 million modernization across about 660 locations and new marketing including a Jordan Davis tie‑in.