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Tag: Cracker Barrel

  • Domino’s is serving up a fresh look for the first time in 13 years. Check out the redesign.

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    Domino’s Pizza is getting a makeover that includes a short new jingle by singer-songwriter Shaboozey and a brighter look.

    The brand refresh, which the restaurant chain announced Wednesday, is the first update to Domino’s look in 13 years. It includes newly designed aprons and hats for store employees, as well as a promotional T-shirts, set to arrive in November. Revamped pizza box designs will be rolled out immediately, according to a company spokesperson. 

    Tying the refresh together is a new font called “Domino’s Sans” and more vibrant versions of company’s blue and red colors, which will appear across Domino’s branding online and in stores. 

    Domino’s will launch new optional T-shirts for team members as well as aprons and hats.

    Domino’s Pizza


    The new look is part of Domino’s effort to connect with younger audiences “across an ever-changing consumer landscape” the spokesperson told CBS News.

    As part of the refresh, the pizza chain also unveiled a new jingle called “Dommmino’s,” stretching the brand name to include “mmm.” Customers can hear it at the end of Domino’s new promotional video, which features singer Shaboozey, the Grammy-winning artist behind the popular track “A Bar Song (Tipsy).” Shaboozey also collaborated with Beyoncé for two songs on her 2024 album Cowboy Carter.

    The company’s new pizza boxes will feature the Domino’s logo more prominently, set against either a blue or red background. Its stuffed crust pizza will be packaged in a black box with a metallic logo.

    A sampling of Domino's new packaging, which will feature brighter colors and a different font.

    Domino’s new packaging will feature brighter colors and a new font.

    Domino’s Pizza


    “Most companies rebrand themselves when they’re struggling, but after years of category-defying growth, this refresh is about continuing to push to be the best version of ourselves,” Kate Trumbull, Domino’s executive vice president and global chief marketing officer, said in a statement.

    Founded in 1960, Domino’s has 21,500 stores globally. The company has benefitted heavily from the use of its mobile ordering system. According to it’s website, Domino’s generates more than 85% of sales via digital ordering channels. In its July earnings report, the company posted a 4.3% increase in revenue from the same quarter in 2024.

    Brand redesigns don’t always work out in companies’ favor. In August, Cracker Barrel announced a new logo and store refresh that sparked public backlash, tanking the chain’s value by nearly $100 million. The company ultimately decided to shelve its remodeling plans.

    Mary Cunningham

    Mary Cunningham is a reporter for CBS MoneyWatch. Before joining the business and finance vertical, she worked at “60 Minutes,” CBSNews.com and CBS News 24/7 as part of the CBS News Associate Program.

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  • Cracker Barrel Outrage Was Almost Certainly Driven by Bots, Researchers Say

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    Did something feel…off about the whole Cracker Barrel debacle to you? Did you, in the midst of the endless stream of outrage directed at the Southern country-style restaurant, pause and think, “There’s just no way anyone cares about Cracker Barrel’s logo this much, right?” Well, you might have been onto something. According to data compiled by intelligence platform PeakMetrics, nearly half of the early posts about Cracker Barrel’s logo change appeared to be generated by bots.

    PeakMetrics grabbed a sample of 52,000 posts made on X within the first 24 hours of Cracker Barrel’s announcement that it would be modernizing its logo to an admittedly very plain and generic design. In that timeframe, it found that 44.5% of all mentions of Cracker Barrel were flagged as likely or higher bot activity. Those numbers climb even higher when a boycott is mentioned. About 1,000 posts in that first 24-hour period called on people to stop eating at Cracker Barrel, and 49% of those posts got flagged as likely coming from bots. In its report, PeakMetrics states that the boycott was unlikely to be an organic grassroots response but a “bot-assisted amplification seeded by meme/activist accounts.”

    The campaigns don’t seem as though they were limited to X, either. According to data collected by Open Measures, similar conversations were happening on the alt-tech platforms like Donald Trump’s Truth Social, Twitter knock-offs Gettr and Gab, 4chan, and Rumble. Over those platforms, posters regularly tied the Cracker Barrel logo change to terms like “woke” and “DEI,” because apparently, one of the demands of leftist extremists is conforming to sans-serif supremacy.

    From August 19, when the logo change was announced, to September 5, a few days after the company not only rolled back the logo but also deleted LGBTQ and diversity and inclusion pages from its website, about 2,020,000 posts were made about the whole debacle on X. PeakMetrics estimates that nearly a quarter of those, 24% in total, were likely to be posted by bots. A little ironic, given the group outraged by the whole thing loves to call people who disagree with them NPCs.

    Of course, that means 75% of those posts were from people. PeakMetrics notes that the earliest posts expressing dismay and frustration at Cracker Barrel’s decision to update its logo came from human-run accounts. Once the bot networks started to pick up on the trend, though, they blew the whole thing up. “Authentic voices articulated cultural dissatisfaction, which bots then amplified,” the report said.

    PeakMetrics didn’t attribute the bot megaphone to any specific organization or state actor. Rather, it found, “The initiators are ideological activist accounts with prior culture-war posting histories, supported by botnets.” One read on that might be that the right-wing outrage farmers seem to have some inauthentic support that makes them seem more influential than they actually are.

    Maybe knowing that these outrage cycles aren’t entirely authentic will be enough for corporations like Cracker Barrel to simply ignore the outrage cycle, knowing that most of the bluster won’t amount to anything. Bots don’t really eat biscuits and gravy, after all.

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    AJ Dellinger

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  • Cracker Barrel won’t remodel restaurants after logo change uproar

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    Cracker Barrel logo change: What went wrong?



    What went wrong with Cracker Barrel’s logo change?

    03:43

    Cracker Barrel is shelving plans to remodel its restaurants as it continues to backtrack on overhauling its brand image. 

    The move comes after the chain already reverted to its old logo in response to an uproar around a refreshed brand symbol that caused the company’s stock to lose as much as $200 million in market value.

    “Your Old Country Store is Here to Stay,” the company said in a statement on its website Tuesday, adding that it would no longer seek to modernize the restaurant’s interiors. 

    “Today, we’re suspending our remodels. If your restaurant hasn’t been remodeled, you don’t need to worry, it won’t be,” Cracker Barrel said. The decision to halt remodeling plans was based on opinions customers shared “not just on our logo, but also on our restaurants,” it added.

    Cracker Barrel conceded in its statement that its planned store redesign did “not reflect what you love about Cracker Barrel.” 

    To date, the Southern-themed restaurant chain has remodeled just four of its 660 store locations. It is suspending plans to remodel any additional stores. 

    “With our recent announcement that our ‘Old Timer’ logo will remain, along with our bigger focus in the kitchen and on your plate, we hope that today’s step reinforces that we hear you,” the company said Tuesday. 

    Megan Cerullo

    Megan Cerullo is a New York-based reporter for CBS MoneyWatch covering small business, workplace, health care, consumer spending and personal finance topics. She regularly appears on CBS News 24/7 to discuss her reporting.

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  • Cracker Barrel has been a staple for comfort food fans for decades, but lately the chain has been making headlines for other reasons.

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    Cracker Barrel has been a staple for road trippers and comfort food fans for decades, but lately the chain has been making headlines for reasons beyond its biscuits and gravy.

    Earlier this summer, the company rolled out a surprise rebrand with a new logo and updated menu.

    The shift didn’t sit well with its most loyal customers. Many criticized the branding change online, saying it stripped away part of what made the restaurant feel homey.

    CNBC reported that Cracker Barrel even had to issue an apology, reassuring guests that fan-favorite menu items like Uncle Herschel’s Breakfast weren’t going anywhere. Still, the old “country store” tagline was gone for good, and longtime fans felt the chain was moving away from its roots.

    The backlash went beyond social media, too. Some servers reported customers withholding tips on the day of the rebrand, claiming they were upset with the company’s decision.

    But even if the logo and menu are changing, diners still expect their meals to show up the same way they always have: warm, comforting, and reliable. And according to one TikTok creator, that isn’t always the case.

    Strange discovery in a Cracker Barrel hash brown casserole

    TikTok user @inktations_, who goes by Savvy, shared a video of a recent visit that left her confused. Her post has been viewed more than 57,400 times.

    In the clip, she cuts into a hash brown casserole. She pulls out what looks like a plastic or paper-like sheet layered across the top. “Maybe don’t order the hash brown casserole from Cracker Barrel,” she wrote in the video’s text overlay.

    She explained in the caption that her server did the right thing and comped the meal. However, the experience still had her asking: “Whatttt is thissss?”

    What could it have been?

    Viewers were quick to speculate in the comments. Some thought it was packaging material left behind from portioning.

    “Look like plastic packaging, they might have it portioned out,” one person suggested.

    Others pointed to how the food might be prepared.

    “They are microwaving all of the food, instead of the fresh they used to have, the cat is out of the bag, ask any employee,” a commenter wrote.

    Another chimed in more lightheartedly: “I’m that person still eating the fried okra in the back.”

    “It is parchment paper! It is used to separate the sides when they are portioned,” a fourth writes, offering a different explanation. “Definitely not supposed to be in there when it’s served tho.” 

    @inkantations_ they did comp that plate but still like whatttt is thissss #crackerbarrel #ew #food #whatisthat #restaurant ♬ eww brother what is that – z’m

    The Mary Sue has reached out to Savvy and Crackel Barrel for more information. 

    Have a tip we should know? [email protected]

    Image of Ljeonida Mulabazi

    Ljeonida Mulabazi

    Ljeonida is a reporter and writer with a degree in journalism and communications from the University of Tirana in her native Albania. She has a particular interest in all things digital marketing; she considers herself a copywriter, content producer, SEO specialist, and passionate marketer. Ljeonida is based in Tbilisi, Georgia, and her work can also be found at the Daily Dot.

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    Ljeonida Mulabazi

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  • Cracker Barrel’s logo mea culpa is a start but it shouldn’t be the end

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    Welcome home, Uncle Herschel.

    Responding to a weeklong barrage of complaints from its loyal customers, Cracker Barrel announced late Tuesday it was scrapping the restaurant’s rebranding campaign and returning to its classic logo.

    “We thank our guests for sharing their voices and love for Cracker Barrel,” the company posted on X. “We said we would listen, and we have. Our new logo is going away and our ‘Old Timer’ will remain.”

    Critics immediately pounced on social media, suggesting the company was caving to right-wing pressure, including a call earlier in the day from former President Donald Trump, who encouraged the company to reverse course before it was too late.

    CRACKER BARREL SCRAPS NEW LOGO DESIGN, KEEPS ‘OLD TIMER’ AFTER LISTENING TO CUSTOMERS

    “Cracker Barrel should go back to the old logo, admit a mistake based on customer response (the ultimate poll), and manage the company better than ever before,” Trump urged early Tuesday. They got a billion dollars’ worth of free publicity if they play their cards right. Very tricky to do, but a great opportunity. Have a major news conference today. Make Cracker Barrel a WINNER again.”

    General view of a Cracker Barrel Country Store in Fishkill, NY, Monday, August 25, 2025. (Richard Beetham for Fox News Digital)

    Trump then acknowledged the company’s mea culpa Tuesday night.

    “Congratulations Cracker Barrel on changing your logo back to what it was. All of your fans very much appreciate it,” Trump wrote. “Good luck in the future. Make lots of money and, most importantly, make your customers happy again!”

    Company executives need to go beyond restoring the logo and acknowledge that Cracker Barrel was built on moral, commonsense values. 

    Attributing the company’s decision to Trump’s remarks about the logo misses the larger concern. Returning Uncle Herschel to his chair beside the barrel is a start, but if that’s where the company retreat ends, Cracker Barrel will continue to sell fewer biscuits, fried chicken and Mama’s pancakes in the years to come.

    The new Cracker Barrel logo is seen on a menu inside the restaurant on August 21, 2025, in Pembroke Pines, Florida. The restaurant chain unveiled a new logo last week as part of a larger brand refresh. The company announced on Tuesday night that it will stick with the original logo. The new logo removed the image of a man sitting next to a barrel and the phrase "old country store." The new logo featured the words "Cracker Barrel" against a yellow background. 

    The new Cracker Barrel logo is seen on a menu inside the restaurant on August 21, 2025, in Pembroke Pines, Florida. The restaurant chain unveiled a new logo last week as part of a larger brand refresh. The company announced on Tuesday night that it will stick with the original logo. The new logo removed the image of a man sitting next to a barrel and the phrase “old country store.” The new logo featured the words “Cracker Barrel” against a yellow background.  (Getty Images)

    Sadly, today’s Cracker Barrel isn’t your aunt or uncle’s wholesome highway pit stop it once was.

    In recent years, Cracker Barrel has sponsored Pride events, partnered with the Human Rights Campaign to fan and normalize pronoun nonsense and sexual confusion and warmly embraced corporate DEI efforts. In the process, its stock price has dropped from a high of $147.91 in 2021 to the mid-$50s today.

    Corporate rebranding and cultural firestorms often flow from internal ideological ignorance and progressive arrogance to outside firms obsessed with forcing their distorted and often woke worldview on everyone else.

    Cracker Barrel Old Country Store sign

    The Cracker Barrel Old Country Store logo is displayed on a large rooftop sign in Mount Arlington, New Jersey, on August 22, 2025.  (GREGORY WALTON/AFP via Getty Images)

    Reports now suggest Cracker Barrel dismissed or ignored earlier warnings from investors. Sardar Biglari, one such entrepreneur, called the entire rebranding exercise “obvious folly.”

    How did Cracker Barrel manage to go off its rocker?

    If this story sounds familiar, it’s because we’ve seen it before. From Coca-Cola’s “New Coke” fiasco in the 1980s to Bud Light’s tone-deaf campaign celebrating Dylan Mulvaney, there’s precedent for corporations committing unforced errors. It took decades for Bud Light to cultivate its brand and just 32 hours to destroy it.

    Dylan Mulvaney Bud Light

    A photo of the commemorative Bud Light beer can featuring TikTok influencer Dylan Mulvaney.  (Dylan Mulvaney/Instagram)

    While the company says the man in the logo is a composite, “Uncle Herschel” was a real man and a real uncle of Danny Evins, the company’s founder. Cracker Barrel even calls him the “soul of Cracker Barrel.” He was a salesman who frequented general stores all over the South and was known to “sit a spell” and visit with customers. At company headquarters in Lebanon, Tenn., there’s even a statue of him standing beside an empty bench as if to invite you to sit and converse.

    CLICK HERE FOR MORE FOX NEWS OPINION

    I think Herschel, who died in 1998, would have some thoughts about what’s been going on.

    When Coca-Cola was fielding complaints after rolling out its new formula in 1985, company president Don Keough decided to take some of the protest calls himself. One was from an elderly woman. She was crying.

    “I said, ‘Honey, what’s the matter?’” he recalled. “She said, ‘You’re taking away Coca-Cola … You’re playing around with my youth.’”

    Coca Cola billboard

    An aerial drone view of a Coca-Cola billboard in the South Market area on October 26, 2020, in San Francisco, California. 

    The late David Ogilvy, nicknamed the “Father of Advertising,” knew well the lure and idiocy of trying to fix something that isn’t broken. “It takes uncommon guts to stick to one style in the face of all the pressures to come up with something new every six months,” he warned. “It is tragically easy to be stampeded into change.”

    Cracker Barrel underestimated the emotional tug and power of its familiar logo. In a world of constant change, Herschel remained a constant. In an economy that seems to celebrate the hard-charging, the old man represents those who are comfortable and content — a reprieve from the chaos and noisy churn everywhere else.

    Company executives need to go beyond restoring the logo and acknowledge that Cracker Barrel was built on moral, commonsense values. They should politely pivot from politically correct corporate silliness and simply embrace the wholesome, sensible and timeless standards that have driven the company’s success: truth, fairness, kindness, respect and good old-fashioned hospitality.

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    The lesson here is simple: If you don’t want your company to go broke, resist the urge to go woke.

    Cracker Barrel says it’s listening — but time will tell who the company is listening to in the days to come.

    CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM PAUL BATURA

    Paul J. Batura is a writer, vice president of communications at Focus on the Family, and founder of the 4:8 Media Network. He can be reached via email Paul@PaulBatura.com or on X @PaulBatura.

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  • Cracker Barrel to return to its old logo after backlash

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    Less than a week after unveiling a controversial new logo that prompted the company’s stock value to take a dive and even President Trump to weigh in, Cracker Barrel announced Tuesday that it will return to its old logo.

    “We thank our guests for sharing your voices and love for Cracker Barrel,” the popular Southern-themed restaurant chain announced in a post to social media. “We said we would listen, and we have. Our new logo is going away and our ‘Old Timer’ will remain.”  

    A Cracker Barrel restaurant, featuring the company’s old logo, in Sterling, Virginia, on Tuesday, Aug. 26, 2025. 

    Al Drago / Bloomberg via Getty Images


    Last week, it suddenly announced that it was changing its logo to remove the image of a man sitting in a chair leaning against a barrel, and replacing it with a logo that only featured the chain’s name. 

    The Tennessee-based Cracker Barrel, which has more than 650 locations in 44 states, saw a Wall Street revolt of sorts, as it lost a staggering nearly $100 million in market value after releasing the new logo, which was part of an ongoing effort to update its image by adding new menu items and redecorating its stores. 

    “Rather than just showing one person, we wanted to feature lots of people,” the company said on its website of the new logo. “The idea was to celebrate the diversity of all our guests with a logo that represented our continued passion for pleasing people of all races, colors, and genders.”

    The move also drew criticism from customers and some conservative commentators, who saw the change as potentially politically-motivated. Branding expert Nick Yeonakis told CBS News the original logo was a “throwback to a simpler time that was about home cooking.” 

    “So, people have this image in their mind of a Cracker Barrel that is constant and stable, and that’s why when they rebranded, backlash happened,” he said.  

    On Tuesday morning, Mr. Trump called on Cracker Barrel to scrap the new logo. 

    “Cracker Barrel should go back to the old logo, admit a mistake based on customer response (the ultimate Poll), and manage the company better than ever before,” Mr. Trump wrote in a Truth Social post. 

    Mr. Trump followed up Tuesday evening by praising the company for returning to the old logo, writing that “all of your fans very much appreciate it.”

    And in a post to X, Deputy White House Chief of Staff Taylor Budowich said that he spoke by phone with Cracker Barrell executives Tuesday, who “thanked President Trump for weighing in on the issue of their iconic ‘original’ logo. They wanted the President to know that they heard him, along with customer response (the ultimate poll), and would be restoring the ‘Old Timer.’”

    Cracker Barrell has seen its growth slow in recent years after its business soared in the 1990s. In 2024, it reported revenue of roughly $3.5 billion, up less than 1% from $3.4 billion the previous year, while net income fell to $40.9 million, down sharply from $99 million in 2023.  

    According to the company, the iconic logo was created in 1977 on the back of a napkin by a designer named Bill Holley “with the goal of creating a feeling of nostalgia with an old-timer wearing overalls.”

    Aimee Picchi

    contributed to this report.

    Faris Tanyos

    Faris Tanyos is a news editor for CBSNews.com, where he writes and edits stories and tracks breaking news. He previously worked as a digital news producer at several local news stations up and down the West Coast.

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  • Cracker Barrel responds to logo backlash — but customers aren’t buying it

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    After days of outrage and backlash over its new minimalist logo, branding, and design,ecor Cracker Barrel has issued a public statement attempting to reassure its base: Uncle Herschel is still part of the family. The company maintains that the bearded figure once seen beside the barrel was never intended to represent a specific person.

    Still, many fans had come to associate him with the real Herschel McCartney, a longtime Martha White salesman, family member of founder Dan Evins, and early brand ambassador. That personal connection made the design shift feel more than cosmetic to some loyalists.

    The August 25 post titled “A Promise to Our Guests” aimed to address concerns by confirming that Uncle Herschel’s Favorite Breakfast is returning to the menu and that he will remain featured on signage and in-store materials. This came days after Cracker Barrel told Yahoo it was “keeping its charm” despite ongoing changes to branding and decor. Still, the logo change was just the beginning of a broader redesign effort that’s left longtime customers uneasy.

    If the last few days have shown us anything, it’s how deeply people care about Cracker Barrel. We’re truly grateful for your heartfelt voices.

    You’ve also shown us that we could’ve done a better job sharing who we are and who we’ll always be.

    What has not changed, and what will never change, are the values this company was built on when Cracker Barrel first opened in 1969: hard work, family, and scratch-cooked food made with care. A place where everyone feels at home, no matter where you’re from or where you’re headed.

    That’s the Cracker Barrel you’ll always find.

    The things people love most about our stores aren’t going anywhere: rocking chairs on the porch, a warm fire in the hearth, peg games on the table, unique treasures in our gift shop, and vintage Americana with antiques pulled straight from our warehouse in Lebanon, Tennessee.

    We love seeing how much you care about our “old timer.” We love him too.

    Uncle Herschel will still be on our menu (welcome back Uncle Herschel’s Favorite Breakfast Platter), on our road signs, and featured in our country store.

    He’s not going anywhere — he’s family.

    In a follow-up explainer on Uncle Herschel’s backstory, we broke down the roots of the confusion, clarifying who fans thought they saw in the logo—and why his removal has stirred so much emotion. That reaction has since moved beyond mere sentiment, even getting into meme territory. Cracker Barrel’s rebrand has sparked a wave of criticism, with many accusing the company of abandoning the very identity it once celebrated.

    Public Reaction to Cracker Barrel’s Statement

    The company’s post on Instagram received thousands of likes and a flood of pointed comments. While the tone was intended to be reassuring, many interpreted it as tone-deaf. The most-liked replies didn’t hold back.

    One commenter wrote, “We don’t want remodeled stores. We want the old rustic floors that creak as you step on them.” Another said, “You’ve shown us you could’ve done a better job… and then chose not to.”

    The response was not taken lightly, signaling that the backlash has taken on a life of its own. On social media, fans are circulating satirical interpretations of the brand’s choices, often referencing the removal of beloved vintage decor.

    Several comments called the post “PR word salad” and compared the redesigned interiors to a “sterile, institutionalized retirement home.” Some called out the contradiction in tone, questioning how the company could celebrate Uncle Herschel in one breath while stripping his likeness from the brand’s most iconic visual.

    What Customers Say They Actually Want

    Throughout the backlash, many have been consistent in their demands. The company is facing calls to cancel its remodels, restore its antique signage and furnishings, and return to a less curated, more lived-in version of its stores. These requests stem from something bigger than brand. The decor and layout were seen as a core part of the brand’s original appeal.

    Some customers acknowledged that changes are inevitable, yet still voiced disappointment that the brand’s attempt to modernize feels like a rejection of the past rather than an evolution.

    Cracker Barrel’s statement insists, “He’s not going anywhere — he’s family.” Yet for many customers, removing the bearded figure from the sign is exactly what made it feel like he already had

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  • Conservative activist slams Cracker Barrel as company left reeling after logo redesign

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    Conservative activist Robby Starbuck is the latest influencer to weigh in on the Cracker Barrel logo controversy. He described the company’s logo makeover as going from “old American nostalgia” to something “cold, dead, lifeless and modern.” In his 15-minute video, Starbuck does a brutal takedown of the company’s history, explaining how over the years it has embraced “wokeness.”

    Starbuck told his followers that while the Cracker Barrel brand is often associated with American tradition, the company is “infested with left-wing activists who are more interested in safe spaces, pronouns, and virtue signaling than they are in their customers.”

    In his video, Starbuck highlights Cracker Barrel’s support for LGBTQ+ organizations and events, such as Nashville Pride, River City Pride and the Human Rights Campaign (HRC).

    Activist Robby Starbuck believes Cracker Barrel’s logo redesign is part of a larger “woke” shift away from their loyal customer base.  (Bess Adler/Bloomberg/Joe Raedle/Getty)

    CRACKER BARREL CEO SERVES UP LEFTOVER CORPORATE BRANDING TO UNHAPPY CUSTOMERS

    He also noted that the company displayed rocking chairs with rainbow colors and LGBTQ+ insignia. The company even went so far as to place one in its Tennessee corporate office. Rocking chairs are practically synonymous with Cracker Barrel. Rocking chairs are practically synonymous with Cracker Barrel, with the restaurant’s long porches lined with them at locations nationwide.

    “The fact that it’s located there is important to this story because what’s happened here is a microcosm of the parasitic operating procedure of left-wing activists,” Starbuck said. “They don’t just wanna force their soulless, godless, hedonistic vision of the future onto blue hellscapes that their party controls. 

    “No, it’s much more important to them that they shove it down into your towns, into your kids’ schools, and into your way of life. So, sticking a pro-trans rocking chair into their headquarters in a predominantly conservative town is exactly the type of thing they revel in doing.”

    Starbuck then pointed to the company’s involvement with HRC and participation in the Out and Equal Workplace Summit. For the Out and Equal conference, Cracker Barrel made rocking chairs in every color of the rainbow, representing the LGBTQ+ flag. Out and Equal even gave Cracker Barrel an award for having 2018’s top LGBTQ+ Employee Resource Group (ERG).

    Cracker Barrel Old Country Store customers eat inside a restaurant with antiquities on the wall.

    Customers are seen dining inside a Cracker Barrel Old Country Store restaurant in Stuart, Florida. (Jeffrey Greenberg/Universal Images Group via Getty Images)

    CRACKER BARREL DISMISSES CRITICS AS ‘VOCAL MINORITY’ WHILE RIVAL RESTAURANT ADDS TO BACKLASH

    The restaurant chain previously participated in HRC’s Corporate Equality Index, which measures “corporate policies, practices, and benefits pertinent to lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer employees,” according to the organization’s website. A company’s score on the index is determined by how inclusive HRC judged it to be toward LGBTQ+ employees.

    Cracker Barrel told Fox News Digital on Friday that it “has not participated in the Human Rights Campaign Index or had any affiliation with HRC in several years.”

    Two Cracker Barrel employees are called out by name in Starbuck’s video, Steve Smotherman and Rachel CampBell. 

    Smotherman was the head of management training and development at Cracker Barrel for 15 years, Starbuck asserted, showing a screenshot that appeared to be from LinkedIn. Smotherman, who eventually left Cracker Barrel for Out and Equal, serves on HRC’s Business Advisory Council in Washington, D.C. 

    DEMOCRATIC PARTY, GAVIN NEWSOM JOIN ONLINE ROASTING OF NEW CRACKER BARREL LOGO

    Starbuck describes Smotherman as “the archetype activist employee that fueled the rise of DEI in corporate America.” He also slammed CampBell, a manager of training and development at Cracker Barrel, for publicly expressing excitement over the company’s rainbow pride rocking chairs.

    “And it’s important to note all of this because these types of employees play a critical role in turning companies away from the values of their customers and moving the companies toward wokeness,” Starbuck said.

    Cracker Barrel

    A Cracker Barrel restaurant in Dumfries, Virginia, US, on Tuesday, May 21, 2024.  (Nathan Howard/Bloomberg via Getty Images)

    CRACKER BARREL EXECUTIVE INSISTS RESTAURANT REMODELS ARE ‘WHAT THE GUESTS ASKED FOR’

    Gilbert Dávila, a member of Cracker Barrel’s board of directors, was also referenced in Starbuck’s video. Dávila, who joined Cracker Barrel’s board in 2020, has worked at several major companies, including Disney, Coca-Cola and Procter & Gamble. He’s also the co-CEO of DMI Consulting, which looks to “infuse cultural relevance and creativity into every solution.”  Starbuck asserted that Dávila, and others like him, are responsible for the “woke advertising push” seen over the last few years.

    In the end, Starbuck emphasizes that the controversy around Cracker Barrel’s logo change is about more than the removal of a man in his chair leaning on a barrel.

    A hat displaying the old Cracker Barrel logo is on display inside a restaurant.

    A hat with the former Cracker Barrel Old Country Store logo is displayed for sale inside the restaurant’s gift shop in Louisville, Kentucky, on Monday, Sept. 23, 2019. (Luke Sharrett/Bloomberg via Getty Images)

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    “It’s very, very important to understand that the Cracker Barrel story is not about a logo. It’s not at all about a logo, it is about a country, it is our heritage, and it is a culture. It’s about a power structure built to tell us that we are somehow backwards, embarrassing or bigoted,” Starbuck said.

    “A conservative can’t give their money to Cracker Barrel. A Christian cannot give their money to Cracker Barrel, and so we won’t,” he added.

    As Starbuck sees it, the Cracker Barrel debacle is a win-win for conservatives, saying that the company will either have to double down and lose customers or revert back to its 1977 logo to retain its customer base.

    Fox News Digital’s Brian Flood and Nikolas Lanum contributed to this report.

    Cracker Barrel did not respond Fox News Digital’s request for comment in time for publication. 

    Rachel Wolf is a breaking news writer for Fox News Digital and FOX Business.

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  • Cracker Barrel gets a new logo. Is it ‘brand suicide?’ The impact on Kentucky stores is unknown

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    A restaurant chain and country store known for its Southern comfort food and antique aesthetics, Cracker Barrel, has unveiled a new logo, sparking backlash from some customers.

    On Aug. 19, the Middle Tennessee-based chain announced changes to its logo and menu as part of a campaign titled, “All the More.” The rebrand features new and returning menu items, “refreshed” restaurant remodels and an “enhanced brand look and feel,” according to a news release.

    “We believe in the goodness of country hospitality, a spirit that has always defined us. Our story hasn’t changed,” said Cracker Barrel Chief Marketing Officer Sarah Moore in a statement. “Our values haven’t changed.”

    “With ‘All the More,’ we’re honoring our legacy while bringing fresh energy, thoughtful craftsmanship and heartfelt hospitality to our guests this fall.”

    Here’s what to know.

    What does the new Cracker Barrel logo look like? Will Kentucky locations be included in the rebrand?

    Cracker Barrel has unveiled a new logo.

    While the new logo maintains Cracker Barrel’s classic gold and brown color palette, it introduces a cleaner, more minimalistic design.

    The updated logo features the restaurant’s name in brown lettering against a golden yellow border, omitting the familiar image of the man seated next to a wooden barrel.

    Cracker Barrel has replaced its old logo.

    Cracker Barrel has replaced its old logo.

    Despite recent online pushback against the renovations, Cracker Barrel CEO Julie Felss Masino said in an Aug. 19 interview on “Good Morning America” that “people like what we’re doing,” USA TODAY reported.

    “Cracker Barrel needs to feel like the Cracker Barrel for today and for tomorrow — the things that you love are still there,” she said. “We need people to choose us, and we want people to choose us.”

    According a news release, the new logo is “now rooted even more closely to the iconic barrel shape and word mark that started it all.” The updated visuals will appear across menus and marketing collateral.

    Cracker Barrel did not specify whether the rebranding campaign will impact Kentucky and Louisville area stores.

    Story continues after photo gallery.

    New Cracker Barrel logo draws criticism from some customers, calling it ‘brand suicide’

    Following the launch of the new design, many Cracker Barrel fans took to social media to express disappointment, with some calling on the chain to change it back.

    “Put the grandpa back on the logo,” read one Instagram comment.

    “I won’t go back till you switch the logo to the old one,” read another, while one user on X called the change “brand suicide.”

    “The new rebrand took the feeling away,” one person wrote on Cracker Barrel’s Instagram. “Cold and sterile.”

    The rebrand also garnered response from some conservatives, suggesting that the new logo is political.

    “WTF is wrong with @CrackerBarrel??!” Donald Trump Jr. said in response to a post on X that implied the logo may be motivated by diversity, equity and inclusion efforts.

    More: Some Cracker Barrel fans share distaste with remodeled restaurants: ‘Thanks, I hate it’

    Cracker Barrel locations in the Louisville area

    Cracker Barrel has several locations in the Louisville area.

    • 10150 Brookridge Village Boulevard.

    • 1401 Kentucky Mills Drive in Jeffersontown.

    • 275 Brenton Way in Shepherdsville.

    • 1414 East Crystal Drive in La Grange.

    • 1565 Mt. Eden Road in Shelbyville.

    Where is Cracker Barrel headquartered?

    Cracker Barrel is headquarered in Lebanon, about half an hour east of Nashville and three hours south of Louisville.

    USA TODAY Network reporter Diana Leyva contributed. Reach Marina Johnson at Marina.Johnson@courier-journal.com.

    This article originally appeared on Louisville Courier Journal: Why did Cracker Barrel change its logo? Rebrand draws public backlash

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  • Christian College’s Hot Take On Cracker Barrel Has People Saying, ‘Huh?’

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    A conservative Christian college’s response to Cracker Barrel’s new logo left many critics baffled.

    The restaurant chain’s recent rebrand, which saw the dropping of the image of a man and a barrel from its logo, has triggered a MAGA meltdown with some on the right accusing the Southern-style eatery of going “woke.” The company has previously been a target of the right for embracing Pride Month and diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives.

    On Thursday, Hillsdale College in Michigan joined the pile-on.

    A post on its official account on X (formerly Twitter) likened the updated logo to a vandalized statue of President George Washington that was defaced during the 2020 protests over the police killing of George Floyd.

    “Same energy,” the college captioned the side-by-side photos.

    According to Grok, X’s AI bot, the “same energy” remark was meant to suggest both images represented the destruction of “traditional American heritage.”

    Critics, however, were left scratching their heads:

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    We remain committed to providing you with the unflinching, fact-based journalism everyone deserves.

    Thank you again for your support along the way. We’re truly grateful for readers like you! Your initial support helped get us here and bolstered our newsroom, which kept us strong during uncertain times. Now as we continue, we need your help more than ever. We hope you will join us once again.

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  • The New Cracker Barrel Logo Sucks

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    Cracker Barrel is changing its iconic and famous logo for the first time in nearly 50 years. Sadly, the new logo sucks, and is part of a larger trend of corporations ditching their unique qualities and going as broad as possible in order to make the line go up. And somehow this new boring logo, according to chuds online, is also an example of “going woke.” Folks, it’s a mess out there.

    On August 19, Cracker Barrel announced that it was ditching its 48-year-old logo featuring a man sitting next to a barrel. Instead, the restaurant that specializes in “Southern comfort food” has replaced the well-known logo with a new one that is simply a yellow shape with the Cracker Barrel name slapped on it. It’s the kind of thing that I could whip up in Photoshop in under five minutes, though I wouldn’t get paid the likely tens of thousands of dollars (or more) that the people who actually created the new logo received.

    There’s no way around it: The new logo is boring, bland, and bad. People hate it. You don’t have to look hard to find plenty of people online sharing negative thoughts on the new, modernized logo. It’s also part of a larger, less talked-about rebrand that has been happening at Cracker Barrel over the last year or so, with old restaurants ditching their rustic look for chic white walls and modern design touches.

    “Our story hasn’t changed. Our values haven’t changed,” said Cracker Barrel’s CMO Sarah Moore. “With ‘All the More,’ we’re honoring our legacy while bringing fresh energy, thoughtful craftsmanship and heartfelt hospitality to our guests this fall.”

    The reality is that Cracker Barrel’s “story” has changed, because it is now 2025 and it’s a publicly traded company. In this day and age, you can’t just be a successful restaurant that grandparents bring their grandkids to so they can share stories from “back in my day…” over large portions of so-so comfort food. You can’t just be a profitable company. You have to grow. You must always grow. The stockholders demand it. They’ll cut your head off and replace you if there isn’t steady, never-ending growth. Making that line go up is all that matters, and if that means ditching a classic logo that might have put off some younger eaters,  or laying off people endlessly, so be it. Instead of trying to be one thing for some people, Cracker Barrel and other companies desperate to grow must be many things to everyone. And in trying to appeal to all, Cracker Barrel has stripped itself of its famous logo and unique characteristics, which makes it hard to justify going there for a meal.

    Cracker Barrel, Welcome To The Culture War

    But of course, also because it is 2025, this logo change can’t just be something we all look at, shake our heads at, maybe make a few jokes or comments about, and then move on from. Nope! Changing the logo has set off a firestorm online among chuds and weirdos, with one of President Trump’s sons complaining about the change as an example of a company “going woke.”

    Conservative activist Robby Starbuck posted on Thursday: “Good morning @CrackerBarrel! You’re about to learn that wokeness really doesn’t pay.” Over on the Cracker Barrel subreddit, which is a thing even if it has a very tiny community, you can find a strange mix of people complaining about food while sharing memes calling the food joint “Cucker Barrel.”

    “I think it’s time for the Employees and Customers to Stand Up. Go Woke Go Broke,” said one poster. Another person shared a petition to fire the CEO of Cracker Barrel over the changes. The petition had one signature, and the poster had 0 upvotes.

    To be clear, I don’t think Cracker Barrel changing a logo is “going woke,” whatever that idiotic complaint means today. Nor do I think it’s an attack on old American values. I do, however, think Cracker Barrel’s simplified logo and shift to more sterile-looking dining rooms are bad and frustrating. I don’t want everything to be targeted to everyone with no distinct traits or features. I’d like to have the choice to go to a place that is filled with old-timey decorations and a charming logo from the ’70s.

    Also, Cracker Barrel, a few logo changes and some white walls aren’t going to trick me or younger people into eating there. I say lean into your clientele and make the menus cursive and put rotary phones on each table that you have to use to order your food. Give those grandparents even more stuff to point at and go, “Oh, I bet you don’t know what that is!” while their young grandkids roll their eyes.  Not everything needs to appeal to the masses. That’s how you end up with boring Marvel movies and dull games that are overstuffed with every feature you can think of. And that sounds like a terrible future.

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    Zack Zwiezen

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