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3w ago

Cracker Barrel Stands By Text-Only Logo After Backlash Knocks Shares

Executives say the redesign is a research-backed modernization for digital use within a broader 'All the More' refresh.

L: A Cracker Barrel Old Country Store sign is visible atop one of its restaurants, April 12, 2002 in Naperville, IL. R, and insert: Cracker Barrel's new logo and redesign, in images taken from their Instagram.
Cracker Barrel had announced in 2024 that they had plans for a brand refresh
Old and new logos for Cracker Barrel.
Image

Overview

  • The update removes the illustrated man known as Uncle Herschel from the 1977 logo, leaving a simplified wordmark inside a barrel-shaped badge.
  • High-profile criticism from conservative figures and influencers, including Donald Trump Jr. and Rep. Byron Donalds, fueled a social-media pile-on that drew wider attention.
  • Shares fell intraday by roughly 12% to 15%, briefly wiping about $100 million in market value, before losses narrowed and the stock ticked higher on Friday.
  • CEO Julie Felss Masino and CMO Sarah Moore say the brand’s values are unchanged, the refresh spans ads, menus and interiors, and internal surveys show largely positive reactions.
  • The dispute has intertwined with ongoing DEI scrutiny, including a July EEOC complaint from America First Legal, turning the logo change into a broader culture-war flashpoint.