President Donald Trump on Tuesday addressed the backlash surrounding Cracker Barrel’s recent logo redesign, urging the restaurant chain on Truth Social to return to its original branding, admit a “mistake,” and seize the controversy as an opportunity to rebuild customer trust and grow stronger.
“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. 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. Remember, in just a short period of time I made the United States of America the ‘HOTTEST’ Country anywhere in the World. One year ago, it was ‘DEAD.’ Good luck!” Trump wrote.
The comments come as the Tennessee-based restaurant chain faces widespread criticism over its rebranding, which removed the familiar image of a man sitting beside a barrel. The new design, introduced last week, features only the restaurant’s name in brown lettering on a yellow background. It marks the first time in 48 years the logo has not included the iconic illustration, which was added in 1977.
The redesign is part of a broader $700 million modernization plan that includes updated restaurant interiors and new menu offerings. Cracker Barrel CEO Julie Felss Masino defended the changes in an interview with ABC News, stating, “People like what we’re doing. Cracker Barrel needs to feel like the Cracker Barrel for today and for tomorrow — the things that you love are still there. We need people to choose us, and we want people to choose us.”
But the backlash has been swift and feirce. Social media users criticized the new look as “soulless” and accused the company of abandoning its heritage. Conservative figures, including Rep. Byron Donalds (R-FL), joined the criticism, with Donalds writing that “no one asked for this rebrand” and calling to “Make Cracker Barrel Great Again.”
The company’s stock price reflected the uproar, plunging more than 12 percent last week, according to CNN. Competing restaurant chain Steak ’n Shake also weighed in on the controversy, accusing Cracker Barrel of trying to “delete the personality altogether” and calling for Masino to be replaced.
In response to the backlash, Cracker Barrel issued a statement Monday titled “Our Promise to You,” acknowledging that the company “could’ve done a better job” in communicating its vision. The statement emphasized that signature elements such as rocking chairs, fireplaces, peg games, and the well-known Uncle Herschel mascot would remain a part of the Cracker Barrel experience. The corporate damage control has so far done little to tone down the criticism.
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