Cracker Barrel: The Rebrand That is Anything But Stale!
The MULO (multi-location) restaurant ecosystem and the marketing agencies that support it have been abuzz and aghast over the past week. Cracker Barrel has about 700 locations in 44 states, but the number of opinions on their new logo and store design outweighs those numbers. And many have been less than favorable on the rebrand.
The new logo removes the man sitting near the barrel and features a fairly basic type treatment.
Says Jean-Pierre Lacroix, president of Shikatani Lacroix Design and author of several books about branding:
“Cracker Barrel’s recent rebrand shows what can go wrong when foundational principles of emotional branding are disregarded. They lost sight of the human bonds, the warmth of belonging, and the specific cultural roots that made them strong. The lesson here is simple but profound: transformation works only when it honors history, values community, and inspires us to feel something real. Otherwise, even the best intentions can lead to an identity crisis, not a resurgence.”
Other critics blasted the new interior design, referring to it as “sterile.”
But the brand itself responded to haters in a Wall Street Journal article with a statement picked up from TikTok:
“We know change can be bittersweet. While a few things may look a little different, we’re not changing who we are … just shining things up a bit.”
Brand and logo re-dos are nothing new. What has changed is the speed and reach of consumer and industry response to those changes. As of this writing, Cracker Barrel hasn’t seen a precipitous decline in traffic and sales, but only time will tell what the impact may be.
In the interim, it can be considered a media and marketing dream, creating opportunities for “experts” of all kinds to weigh in with both creative and business perspectives.
As a brand marketer myself (who was tangentially involved in the Mastercard “Priceless” campaign and spent countless hours discussing the logo), I especially enjoy the compiled lists of “best and worst rebrands.” This one clearly illustrates that even if armchair critics despise a new look and feel, it may not have any impact on financial results. In some cases, sales actually increase (perhaps because of all the media exposure).
Only time will tell if the new (and largely despised) Cracker Barrel aesthetic will stop people from stopping at one of the roadside locations and enjoying chicken and biscuits. Knowing that consumer marketing can be full of surprises, we might even see the “old barrel guy” reappear one day.
UPDATE 8/26 pm – Due to consumer and market backlash, Cracker Barrel has abandoned plans to adopt the new logo and reverted back to it’s original logo. In a social media post the company stated:
“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.”
For more about changes in the MULO ecosystem, please join us at Street Fight LIVE 2025 on September 30th at Microsoft’s Playa Vista (Los Angeles) HQ.
