Cracker Barrel says it ‘could’ve done a better job’ with controversial new logo that tanked its stock

Cracker Barrel Old Country Store Old Logo 2024 (mpi34/MediaPunch/Shutterstock via CNN Newsource)

NEW YORK — Cracker Barrel, the struggling country-themed American restaurant chain and road trip staple, is backtracking on a new logo that drew a right-wing backlash and tanked the chain’s stock.

“If the last few days have shown us anything, it’s how deeply people care about Cracker Barrel,” the company posted on its website Monday. “You’ve also shown us that we could’ve done a better job sharing who we are and who we’ll always be.”

Last week, Cracker Barrel redesigned its label, unveiling a minimalist logo that doesn’t include a barrel or the seated figure.

What followed was a flood of right-wing outrage, and Cracker Barrel’s stock (CBRL) nosedived more than 12 per cent in one day.

Cracker Barrel said Monday that it has not forgotten about Uncle Herschel, who many people believed over the years was the figure seen leaning against a barrel in the logo. (The company refers to the figure as “our old-timer,” in the logo created by Nashville designer Bill Holley on a napkin in 1977.) He will still be seen on the menu (specifically on the Uncle Herschel’s Favorite Breakfast Platter), road signs and the interior of the store.

“We know we won’t get always get everything right the first time, but we’ll keep testing, learning and listening to our guests and employees,” the post continued.

The Cracker Barrel debacle is another culture war topic stoked by right-wing influencers.

The New York Times found that a controversial – and exceedingly viral – advertisement with Hollywood star Sydney Sweeney modeling a pair of American Eagle jeans escalated online once influential right-leaning accounts began amplifying claims of progressive outrage.

Many of those same figures found similar traction with Cracker Barrel’s new logo.

“WTF is wrong with @CrackerBarrel??!,” Donald Trump Jr. posted on X. Right-wing influencer Charlie Kirk posted a side-by-side comparison of Sydney Sweeney’s ad and the original Cracker Barrel logo with the new minimalist one and a woman who weighs more than Sweeney.

Christopher Rufo, a conservative activist and a prominent opponent of diversity, equity and inclusion principles, even jumped in: “We must break the Barrel. It’s not about this particular restaurant chain—who cares—but about creating massive pressure against companies that are considering any move that might appear to be ‘wokification,’” he said in a post on X.

Cracker Barrel is in the midst of a US$700 million transformation plan. The 56-year-old chain has new TV commercials, a redesigned menu and several new fall-themed foods.

“The way we communicate, the things on the menu, the way the stores look and feel … all of these things came up time and time again in our research as opportunities for us to really regain relevancy,” said CEO Julie Felss Masino in 2024.