Netizens Demand Cracker Barrel CEO Quit After ‘Soulless’ New Logo Unveiled — Stocks Nosedive 12%

Cracker Barrel, the long-lasting American restaurant and nation retailer chain, is dealing with a backlash after unveiling a redesigned emblem that critics say strips the model of its rustic soul.

The brand new design, revealed on 19 August 2025 as a part of the ‘All of the Extra’ autumn marketing campaign, ditches the acquainted picture of a person seated by a wood barrel in favour of a simplified, text-only wordmark impressed by its unique 1969 branding.

The corporate described the rebrand as a bid to modernise the chain and join with youthful clients. However critics have blasted it as sterile, generic, and out of step with the homespun attraction that lengthy outlined the Cracker Barrel expertise.

‘The brand new rebrand took the sensation away,’ one Instagram person wrote. One other fumed: ‘Chilly and sterile.’

Social Media Uproar

The backlash rapidly gained momentum on-line, with hashtags resembling #NotMyCrackerBarrel and #BringBackTheBarrel trending throughout numerous platforms. Commentators and long-time patrons have been significantly vocal, accusing the corporate of embracing a ‘woke’ aesthetic.

Nation singer John Wealthy joined the refrain, warning that the redesign might turn out to be a ‘Bud Gentle second’, a reference to the 2023 boycott of the beer model following its controversial advertising marketing campaign.

Investor Fallout

The controversy has not remained confined to social media. Cracker Barrel’s inventory (NASDAQ: CBRL) plunged by over 14% up to now 5 days, marking its steepest intraday drop in months.

The decline adopted 5 consecutive classes of losses and coincided with the brand redesign changing into the highest trending subject on Google and investor boards resembling Stocktwits.

The corporate’s management has tried to reassure stakeholders. Showing on Good Morning America, Cracker Barrel CEO Julie Felss Masino defended the modifications, stating, ‘Cracker Barrel must really feel just like the Cracker Barrel for immediately and for tomorrow — the issues that you just love are nonetheless there. We want folks to decide on us, and we would like folks to decide on us.’

Chief Advertising Officer Sarah Moore echoed this sentiment in an interview with Fox News Digital, saying, ‘We consider within the goodness of nation hospitality, a spirit that has all the time outlined us.

‘Our story hasn’t modified. Our values have not modified. With ‘All of the Extra,’ we’re honouring our legacy whereas bringing recent vitality, considerate craftsmanship and heartfelt hospitality to our friends this fall.

‘We have been very clear about our purpose of creating our shops really feel brighter and much more welcoming than they already are, whereas sustaining that nation hospitality and attraction that we’re identified for.’

Model at a Crossroads

Regardless of assurances, critics argue that the redesign alienates Cracker Barrel’s core buyer base. Dropping the long-lasting barrel imagery has been seen as a symbolic break from its Southern heritage.

The corporate has but to verify whether or not the brand new emblem will substitute signage nationwide. In the meantime, requires Masino’s resignation are mounting, with some demanding a whole reversal of the rebrand.

The backlash highlights a broader dilemma for legacy manufacturers: methods to modernise with out estranging loyal patrons. It has additionally sparked debate in regards to the steadiness between heritage and reinvention, in addition to whether or not nostalgia-driven corporations can adapt to shifting expectations.

For Cracker Barrel, the end result might show a telling instance of how deep-rooted identities navigate change in an period the place public sentiment is swift and unforgiving.

Cracker Barrel’s try and refresh its model has sparked fierce backlash, a inventory droop, and requires the resignation of its CEO.