Cracker Barrel
Cracker Barrel is pulling back from its recent brand changes, including its Pride page and a new minimalist logo. Wikimedia Commons

In a surprising turn of events, Cracker Barrel has reversed a much-criticised rebrand, confirming it will keep its classic 'Old Timer' logo and scrapping a text-first redesign; within hours, the company also pulled its dedicated Pride webpage, which now redirects to 'Culture and Belonging'.

The volte-face came after days of adverse reaction, a public prod from President Donald Trump, and a rebound in the share price.

The Reversal of Cracker Barrel's Pride Efforts

Following consumer criticism of its rebranding initiatives, Cracker Barrel has discreetly removed the Pride page from its website. The previous link for this page, which once promoted the company's message of 'bringing the porch to Pride,' now leads to its 'Culture and Belonging' section instead.

'At Cracker Barrel, welcoming people has always been at the heart of who we are. When we take care of one another, we can take even better care of the people who walk through our doors,' the page says.

The company has faced considerable pressure from conservative campaigners, such as Robby Starbuck and Chris Rufo, due to its previous support for LGBT causes.

Last year, Cracker Barrel sponsored the Nashville Pride Parade and launched a range of rainbow-coloured rocking chairs for Pride month. The company also maintains an LGBTQ employee group, known as the 'LGBTQ+ Alliance,' alongside similar groups for veterans and other underrepresented communities.

A Change in Aesthetic

Beyond its support for the LGBTQ community, Cracker Barrel has also faced widespread consumer outrage over its rebranding efforts. The company began redesigning its restaurants, moving away from the familiar, Americana aesthetic to a more minimalist, modern theme.

This shift in design, however, wasn't received well by its long-time customers, who preferred the original charm of its interiors. Now, it appears the company is listening to the backlash as it restores its old logo, signalling a move back to its roots.

Reversal and Reassurance

Following mounting criticism from social media users, as well as President Donald Trump, the restaurant chain announced it would drop its new logo and revert to the original. This decision led to shares of Cracker Barrel Old Country Store rising by more than 8% on Wednesday.

The change was swift, and so was the market's reaction. On Tuesday night and Wednesday morning, Cracker Barrel's stock climbed, nearly erasing the losses it incurred last week when the new logo was first unveiled.

'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 said in a statement Tuesday.

A Presidential Influence

The change happened just hours after Trump publicly commented on the rebranding. On social media, he wrote, '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.'

Following Trump's message, shares of Cracker Barrel increased by over 6% by Tuesday's close. After the company's announcement that the original logo would be restored, he posted another message on social media later that evening, congratulating them.

Later that same Tuesday evening, after the company announced it would keep its original logo, Trump posted a message on social media to congratulate them.

'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!' the post read.

Taylor Budowich, the White House deputy chief of staff, also stated in a post on X that he had spoken with the company earlier that evening and that Cracker Barrel had thanked the president for his input on the issue.

A Modern Makeover That Missed the Mark

The logo redesign, which the company announced last week, caused a stir. The new design removed the well-known 'Uncle Herschel' character, leaving just the words' Cracker Barrel' in front of a yellow barrel outline. The phrase 'Old Country Store' was also taken out of the new design.

The new design kept a similar colour palette to the original, which the company stated was inspired by the colours of its eggs and biscuits.

However, social media users were swift to criticise the new logo, labelling it 'generic,' 'soulless,' and 'bland.' In particular, conservatives accused the restaurant chain of 'going woke' by getting rid of its classic American branding.

The Verdict Is In

A YouGov poll conducted over the weekend surveyed 1,000 adults and revealed that 65% of Americans were aware of the new logo, with a significant 76% preferring the original one.

The company addressed the criticism in a statement on Monday, admitting that the backlash had 'shown us that we could've done a better job sharing who we are and who we'll always be.'

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