Cracker Barrel Old Country Store CBRL is facing backlash after unveiling its first logo redesign in more than 40 years and a new menu update, sending shares lower Thursday as some longtime fans threaten a boycott.
New Cracker Barrel Logo
Many companies change names or logos throughout their history. Sometimes it works, and sometimes it can mark the beginning of the downfall.
In Cracker Barrel’s case, it removed the mystery man and barrel that appeared next to the name of the restaurant. Moving forward, the company now has a simplistic logo with just the words “Cracker Barrel.”
The company’s logo was initially designed in 1977 and has been used since then. The company said the new logo is “more closely to the iconic barrel shape and wood mark that started it all.”
“This year we even unveiled a brand-new logo! Rather than just showing one person, we wanted to feature lots of people. 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 company’s blog says.
Cracker Barrel CEO Julie Felss Masino told “Good Morning America” that the feedback to the logo change has been “overwhelmingly positive.”
“People like what we’re doing,” Masino said. “Cracker Barrel needs to feel like the Cracker Barrel for today and for tomorrow – the things that you love are still there.”
For Cracker Barrel, the logo change comes with a menu upgrade. Old favorite dishes were reintroduced with the hope that they would bring back loyal fans and encourage guests to return multiple times.
The company’s new campaign, called “All the More,” focuses on scratch-made food, country hospitality and in-restaurant retail shops.
Read Also: Cracker Barrel Q3 Restaurant Sales Sizzle, Ups Annual EBITDA Outlook
New Logo Pushback
The new Cracker Barrel logo, along with pictures of the new wall décor, quickly went viral on social media.
The restaurant company has been trending with mostly negative feedback, accusing the company of going “woke.” Others are calling this Cracker Barrel’s “Bud Light Moment” in reference to a marketing push by the beer company that angered many conservatives and led to boycotts and declining sales.
Bud Light suffered from multiple quarters of declining sales as fans of the beer went elsewhere. The company has since mostly recovered in sales, but still lost some loyal customers along the way.
“WTF is wrong with Cracker Barrel,” President Donald Trump’s son Donald Trump Jr. asked in a tweet.
Trump Jr. shared a post from Woke War Room that said the logo isn’t an accident and is part of Masino’s agenda.
“She scrapped a beloved America aesthetic and replaced it with sterile, soulless branding. Masino kept a DEI regime that promises to ‘identify, recruit, and advance’ hires by race – and now faces civil rights complaints from @America1stLegal to the EEOC and the Tennessee AG,” the post alleges.
The quoted post from Trump Jr. said Masino should resign and be replaced “with leadership that will restore Cracker Barrel’s tradition.”
Growth Ahead for Cracker Barrel?
Masino also highlighted the company’s value proposition. The average Cracker Barrel bill is around $15 compared to an industry average of around $27.
In June, Cracker Barrel reported third-quarter financial results. The company beat analyst estimates for earnings per share and missed estimates for revenue.
The company showed comparable store restaurant growth of 1.0% year-over-year. It proved to be the company’s fourth consecutive quarter of positive comparable store sales growth at restaurants.
The company also reaffirmed full-year revenue guidance and raised its EBITDA outlook. With potential boycotts and visitors opting to dine elsewhere, the company could miss these new forecasts.
Cracker Barrel is expected to report fourth-quarter financial results next month. Management will likely face a handful of questions from analysts about the logo rebrand.
The company has beaten analyst estimates for earnings per share in five of the last 10 quarters. It missed revenue estimates in seven of the previous 10 quarters.
CBRL Price Action
Cracker Barrel stock is down 13.0% to $51.36 on Thursday versus a 52-week trading range of $33.86 to $71.93. Cracker Barrel stock is down 6.6% year-to-date in 2025.
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