The restaurant chain’s profits have fallen nearly 70 percent since 2022, raising doubts about its rebranding strategy.
A struggling chain of Southern-style restaurants has found itself at the center of the American cultural and political world.
On Aug. 26, following intense discussion and controversy that even reached the Oval Office, Cracker Barrel reversed its decision to launch a simplified logo that omitted a character the casual dining operator calls Uncle Herschel.
The chain of more than 660 restaurants and old country stores stated: “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.”
That move reversed a decision to change the company’s longstanding logo from an image of Uncle Herschel sitting in a chair and leaning on a barrel to a more simplified yellow and brown logo in the shape of a barrel with the name of the restaurant and store.
The rebrand was part of a broader effort that the company, based in Lebanon, Tennessee, is carrying out as it faces prolonged financial struggles.
Since the middle of 2024, the company has been steadily remodeling its locations with a brighter and less cluttered design scheme.
Here’s what to know about the controversy and the company’s financial woes.
Logo Change Controversy
On Aug. 19, Cracker Barrel’s soft launch transitioned into a full rebrand in what the company called a “new creative campaign,” called “All the More.”
The backlash online was immediate and intense, particularly in conservative circles; some commentators accused the company of throwing away its Americana tradition for a look that is more bland.
The negative press even caused the price of shares in Cracker Barrel Old Country Store Inc. to dip by about 12 percent in the four trading days following the announcement.
By the morning of Aug. 26, even President Donald Trump had weighed in on the matter.
Trump wrote on Truth Social that the company should reverse its decision on the logo and “admit a mistake based on customer response … and manage the company better than ever before.”
That evening, Trump posted again about the subject with a congratulatory message for changing the logo back.
“All of your fans very much appreciate it. Good luck into the future,” the post said. “Make lots of money and, most importantly, make your customers happy again!”
Cracker Barrel’s acquiescence followed a mea culpa the company published on its website in response to the controversy, acknowledging that it “could’ve done a better job sharing” the new campaign.
“What has not changed, and what will never change, are the values this company was built on,” the undated statement that appeared on about Aug. 25 said.
One former employee disagrees with that sentiment. He said the values have been steadily changing for nearly 20 years.
