Cracker Barrel screeching U-turn... and shares skyrocket
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Cracker Barrel is scrapping its new logo after a social media backlash and a rebuke from President Donald Trump.

‘We thank our guests for sharing your voices and love for Cracker Barrel. We said we would listen, and we have. Our new logo is going away, and our “old timer” will remain,’ the company stated.

Shares rose as much as 2.3 percent in after-hours trading following the news. 

The controversy started last Tuesday (August 19) when the chain introduced a new logo for the first time in 48 years. The redesign eliminated the image of an old man leaning against a barrel, leaving only the name in a new font.

It also eliminated the pinto bean shape behind the name, a nod to one of the original side dishes offered when Cracker Barrel first opened in 1969.

Critics argued that the changes stripped the brand of its character and charm, resulting in a backlash that cost the company nearly $100 million in market value last week.

Some critics compared the rebrand to Bud Light’s infamous Dylan Mulvaney campaign

Even President Donald Trump weighed in on the change today, telling Cracker Barrel bosses to scrap the new logo. 

Cracker Barrel has courted controversy with its new logo launched earlier this week

Cracker Barrel has courted controversy with its new logo launched earlier this week

The old logo features an image of an old man leaning against a barrel

The old logo features an image of an old man leaning against a barrel 

Social media users believe the fate of Cracker Barrel rests in Sydney Sweeney's hands. On X, this mocked up photo of her — which appears to have been created using AI — has also gone viral

Social media users believe the fate of Cracker Barrel rests in Sydney Sweeney’s hands. On X, this mocked up photo of her — which appears to have been created using AI — has also gone viral

The controversy over the new logo 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 itself comes from barrels once used to deliver crackers to country stores, which later doubled as makeshift tables for community 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,” a Reddit user wrote. 

‘So they got rid of the cracker and the barrel,’ another person commented.

Americans also took to X to share memes. Some featured Mulvaney alongside the ‘new’ Cracker Barrel logo, while others recycled images from her 2023 Bud Light promotion — swapping beer cans for the barrels dropped from the logo.   

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 X users shared memes featuring Cracker Barrel's new logo and Dylan Mulvaney

Several X users shared memes featuring Cracker Barrel’s new logo and Dylan Mulvaney

‘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?.’

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. 

'People like what we're doing,' Cracker Barrel president and CEO Julie Felss Masino said earlier this week

‘People like what we’re doing,’ Cracker Barrel president and CEO Julie Felss Masino said earlier this week

The redesign comes as the company has also been revamping its restaurants

The redesign comes as the company has also been revamping its restaurants

Cracker Barrel has over 650 locations across the US

Cracker Barrel has over 650 locations across the US

‘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. 

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