Why did Cracker Barrel change its logo? Brand refresh plans were announced in 2024
Cracker Barrel, the famous Lebanon-based restaurant chain, is facing massive online backlash for changing its logo and menu.
Cracker Barrel finds itself in the middle of a social media storm after it announced a change to its logo along with a menu update in a press release. In fact, the backlash translated to massive blows in the stock market as well.
Stocks fell as much as 13 percent by midday Thursday, Reuters reported.
However, the plans for a change were a long-time coming, and it has to do with the Lebanon-based food chain trying to revamp its overall look.
Why Cracker Barrel changed its logo?
Cracker Barrel had announced in 2024 that they had plans for a brand refresh after the company saw some diners were slow to return to the restaurant after the Covid-19 pandemic, Wall Street Journal reported. Not only did the chain struggle to regain its 65-plus diners, which includes its loyal customers, but also wanted to attract a young crowd.
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Julie Masino, who had stepped in as CEO in 2023, had said in a May 2024 call with investors that the brand was ‘not as relevant’ as they used to be, CBS News had reported. “We're just not as relevant as we once were,” Masino said, noting the company had ‘lost its shine’ and was in the need of a ‘transformation’.
While announcing the new logo, Cracker Barrel said they were also bringing new fall menu options, and there would be a collaboration with country singer Jordan Davis - who would host an event in New York on Thursday.
Cracker Barrel, meanwhile, said that ‘farm fresh scrambled eggs and buttermilk biscuits’ were the inspiration behind the color palette in the new campaign. This is the first time in 48 years that the logo will be text-only without any images. When the chain opened in 1969, it was just the logo with text, but in 1977, the logo was updated to show a man resting by the barrel.
