Cracker Barrel announced on Tuesday that after listening to its customers, it will eliminate its new logo and keep the “Old Timer” logo in place, reports said on Tuesday.
“We thank your guests for sharing your voices and love for Cracker Barrel,” the restaurant chain said in a statement to FOX Business. “We said we would listen, and we have. Our new logo is going away and our ‘Old Timer’ will remain. 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 statement added.
Deputy White House Chief of Staff Taylor Budowich expressed his gratitude on social media following a call with Cracker Barrel executives earlier in the evening.
“They thanked President Trump for weighing in on the issue of their iconic ‘original’ logo,” he wrote. “They wanted the President to know that they heard him, along with customer response (the ultimate poll), and would be restoring the ‘Old Timer.’ So smart! Congrats Cracker Barrel and America!”
Trump also responded to the reversal on his Truth Social platform.
“Congratulations ‘Cracker Barrel’ on changing your logo back to what it was. All of your fans very much appreciate it,” he wrote. “Good luck into the future. Make lots of money and, most importantly, make your customers happy again!”
Officials with the folksy American restaurant chain initially responded to growing backlash against the company’s rebranding with a positive statement after critics derided the logo change as “woke” and “soulless.”
“Our values haven’t changed,” the restaurant told Newsweek in a statement. “The heart and soul of Cracker Barrel haven’t changed.”
Cracker Barrel’s statement continued, “Uncle Herschel remains front and center in our restaurants and on our menu. He is the face of ‘The Herschel Way,’ the foundation of how our 70,000-plus employees provide the country hospitality for which we are known.”
The Southern country-themed restaurant chain, founded in 1969, has changed its logo for the first time in 48 years. When the company opened its first location, its branding featured a text-only design.
The name “Cracker Barrel” traces back to the 19th century, when people would gather around a barrel of crackers in country stores to socialize, Newsweek noted.
In 1977, the logo was updated to the version familiar to many customers, featuring an image of a man leaning against a barrel. In a recent press release, the company said the redesigned logo is “[r]ooted even more closely to the iconic barrel shape and wordmark that started it all.”
The logo change, part of a $700 million rebranding effort, drew immediate backlash, with conservative commentators sharply criticizing the company online. At the same time, others took to social media to mock the criticism itself, highlighting the polarized reaction.
Collin Rugg, co-owner of the Trending Politics website, characterized the rebrand and new logo as “depressing. Rep. Byron Donalds, a Republican from Florida, wrote on X, “No one asked for this woke rebrand. It’s time to Make Cracker Barrel Great Again.”
Thomas Murphy, a professor of practice in Clark University’s School of Business, told Newsweek: “The desire to rebrand is typically driven by either a major change in consumer behaviors or a brand dramatically changing who they want to be going forward. In the case of Cracker Barrel, they appear to be staying consistent with the products and experience they provide to the market. Their reason for making changes is the evolution of a younger audience who may not relate as much to the original brand.”
