Cracker Barrel, the 56-year-old US restaurant chain known for southern style cooking, has reversed course and will scrap the new minimalist logo it launched just days ago after intense backlash.
“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 posted on social media, referring to the picture of the overall-clad man – known as “Uncle Herschel” – leaning against a barrel that had been its calling card for decades.
“At Cracker Barrel, it’s always been – and always will be – about serving up delicious food, warm welcomes, and the kind of country hospitality that feels like family. As a proud American institution, our 70,000 hardworking employees look forward to welcoming you to our table soon.”
The White House applauded the about face on Tuesday evening. “Congratulations Cracker Barrel on changing your logo back to what it was. All of your fans very much appreciate it. Good luck into the future. Make lots of money and, most importantly, make your customers happy again!” Donald Trump posted on social media.
“President Trump has unmatched business instincts, and an uncanny ability to understand what the American people want. Cracker Barrel is a great American company, and they made a great decision to Trust in Trump!” said press secretary Karoline Leavitt in a statement.
Earlier on Tuesday, the company had apologized to fans who were angered with the new logo but had stood firm in its decision to make a change.
“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,” the company said Monday in a statement on its website. “You’ve also shown us that we could have done a better job sharing who we are and who we’ll always be.”
Cracker Barrel had taken heat in recent days when it announced a simplified logo featuring only the chain’s name. Gone was the picture of an older man in overalls leaning against a barrel. The words “Old Country Store” were also removed.
The change was part of a wider rebrand, which has seen Cracker Barrel update its cluttered, antique-filled restaurants with lighter paint and modern furniture.
Many on social media, including Trump and the president’s son Donald Trump Jr, criticized the new logo, with some threatening to boycott unless it was changed back.
“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 wrote on Tuesday on social media. “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.”
Sensing an opening, the rival chain Steak n’ Shake called the new logo “a cheap effort to gain the approval of trend seekers”.
“Heritage is what got Cracker Barrel this far, and now the CEO wants to just scrape it all away,” Steak n’ Shake said in a statement on X.
Cracker Barrel shares have dropped more than 10% since the new logo was introduced on 18 August.
On Monday, the Lebanon, Tennessee-based company emphasized that many things about Cracker Barrel won’t change, including the rocking chairs on its front porches as well as the vintage Americana and antiques scattered throughout its restaurants.
The old Cracker Barrel Old Country Store logo. Photograph: Gregory Walton/AFP/Getty Images
But Cracker Barrel said it also wants to make sure that the business stays fresh and attracts a new generation of customers.
“That means showing up on new platforms and in new ways, but always with our heritage at the heart,” the company said in a statement.
The company said it will also keep testing, learning and listening to its employees and customers.
The chain’s brief change in logo is the most recent in a series of dustups where an unexpected response has blindsided retail chains.
Anheuser-Busch’s Bud Light sales slumped after it sent a can of Bud Light to a transgender influencer in 2023, and this summer, an American Eagle Outfitters ad campaign featuring actress Sydney Sweeney sparked backlash for the ad’s use of the phrase “good jeans” as a play on genetics.
Cracker Barrel’s shares slumped after the backlash last week, wiping out year-to-date gains, but were up 7% in extended trading on Tuesday after the company, with a market value of $1.29bn, scrapped the new logo.
Quick Guide
Contact us about this story
Show
The best public interest journalism relies on first-hand accounts from people in the know.
If you have something to share on this subject you can contact us confidentially using the following methods.
Secure Messaging in the Guardian app
The Guardian app has a tool to send tips about stories. Messages are end to end encrypted and concealed within the routine activity that every Guardian mobile app performs. This prevents an observer from knowing that you are communicating with us at all, let alone what is being said.
If you don’t already have the Guardian app, download it (iOS/Android) and go to the menu. Select ‘Secure Messaging’.
SecureDrop, instant messengers, email, telephone and post
If you can safely use the tor network without being observed or monitored you can send messages and documents to the Guardian via our SecureDrop platform.
Finally, our guide at theguardian.com/tips lists several ways to contact us securely, and discusses the pros and cons of each.
Illustration: Guardian Design / Rich Cousins
Thank you for your feedback.
