Cracker Barrel has unveiled a new logo for the first time in almost 50 years. But what began as a visual refresh quickly escalated into a cultural and political debate.
The new logo removes the familiar image of a man leaning on a barrel, opting instead for a modernized, text-only design. While the brand says the change is part of a broader modernization campaign, critics online are accusing Cracker Barrel of going “woke.”
Donald Trump Jr. joins conservative backlash
Donald Trump Jr. responded to the redesign by quoting a post from Woke War Room, with “WTF is wrong with @CrackerBarrel??!”
The original post read, “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 legal group has shown its pressure campaigns to be effective elsewhere. Paramount and CBS recently scrapped DEI initiatives after an America First Legal lawsuit but also amid scrutiny from the Trump-led Federal Communications Commission to approve a multi-billion dollar merger with Skydance. The legal group, founded by White House chief of staff Stephen Miller, has filed formal civil rights complaints against Cracker Barrel’s DEI policy.
“[Cracker Barrel] continues to promote the company’s apparently unlawful commitments to provide unique employment benefits to certain races and sexes,” their press release reads.
Critics call new logo a ‘woke’ rebrand
The controversy centers on the removal of the barrel man, a long-standing symbol of the Cracker Barrel brand. Some say it’s simply a modern update. Others believe it’s an attempt to distance the company from its Southern roots.
Radio host Owen Shroyer posted on X, “It’s literally a cracker and a barrel. Yes, own the hilarious irony of using a racial slur against your main demographic. It will attract that younger crowd you’re reaching for. Or serve better food.”
Shroyer’s post echoed a sentiment shared across right-wing circles — that Cracker Barrel is alienating its core customer base to chase a newer, more progressive audience.
Comparisons to the Bud Light boycott
Many are comparing the Cracker Barrel backlash to the 2023 Bud Light controversy. In that case, conservatives threatened boycotts after the beer brand featured a transgender influencer in a social media campaign.
The comparison took hold quickly, with online posts drawing parallels between the two brands’ perceived shifts in identity.
Rep. Anna Paulina Luna, R-Fla., posted on X, “One by one, once-great American companies are self destructing with woke rebrands.”
Cracker Barrel defends changes
In a press release, the company explained the brand update:
“Anchored in Cracker Barrel’s signature gold and brown tones, the updated visuals will appear across menus and marketing collateral, including the fifth evolution of the brand’s logo, which is now rooted even more closely to the iconic barrel shape and word mark that started it all.”
The new logo is part of the chain’s broader “All the More” campaign — a push to modernize its image, menus, and interiors. According to Cracker Barrel CEO Julie Felss Masino, the effort “highlights how people feel” about the brand.
“We have a retail shop, you’re gonna get great country hospitality with our scratch-made food in our restaurants, and that’s really what the campaign celebrates,” Masino said in an interview with “Good Morning America.”
More than a logo: menu and interior changes underway
The transformation isn’t limited to branding. Masino said customer feedback has been largely positive, and many restaurants are now adding booths in lieu of low-tops resembling residential dinner tables, updating lighting and refreshing paint colors.
Though the company hasn’t explicitly said it’s following any specific design trend, the look has echoes of “millennial gray” — a muted, minimalist color palette.
Gray tones, soft whites and wood accents have become staples in modern renovations, especially among millennial homeowners and diners seeking a clean and elevated feel. Cracker Barrel’s updated spaces appear to nod to this aesthetic, subtly shifting from rustic nostalgia and a more contemporary dining experience.
When asked if the food was changing too, Masino pointed to several new menu items. One notable return: Uncle Herschel’s Favorite, a longtime fan favorite that had previously been discontinued.
Cracker Barrel is also introducing new breakfast, lunch, dinner and dessert options as part of the revamp.
Stock takes a hit
As of Thursday morning, Cracker Barrel shares had dropped more than 11%, according to Forbes. The company has yet to comment on the backlash as of Thursday afternoon.
While the logo change was intended to usher in a new era, it’s become clear that for some customers, change is hard to swallow.
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Author: Devin Pavlou
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