.
For decades, Cracker Barrel has been a road-trip favorite, known for its rocking chairs, country store, and hearty comfort food.
Now the family-style restaurant chain is catching heat for a big rebranding effort that many conservatives say tosses aside the company’s traditional roots in favor of “woke” politics.
And just like what happened with Bud Light, the market is already reacting. Cracker Barrel’s stock dropped as much as 13 percent in a single day following the rollout of its new look, according to The Western Journal and Forbes.
Out with the Old
The biggest change came this month when Cracker Barrel unveiled a new text-only logo. Gone is the iconic image of a man in overalls leaning on a wooden barrel – a logo that had been around since 1977 and became part of America’s roadside culture.
Conservative voices, including Donald Trump Jr. and commentator Benny Johnson, blasted the redesign online. Trump Jr. called it a “soulless erasure” of the chain’s old-time character. Johnson said it looked like “every other sterile chain restaurant” instead of the nostalgic Americana people loved.
Supporters of the rebrand say the text-only logo actually brings the company back to its original 1969 design, but critics aren’t buying it. To many, it’s another example of a company trying to appeal to urban progressives at the expense of its loyal base.
Remodeling the Restaurants
Cracker Barrel is also rolling out a $700 million makeover for its 660 locations. The new interiors trade warm lighting and wall-to-wall antiques for a cleaner, brighter “farmhouse chic” look.
On X, conservatives posted side-by-side photos comparing the cozy, old-fashioned restaurants with the new modern design.
DEI Controversy
Adding fuel to the fire are allegations that CEO Julie Felss Masino is pushing a corporate DEI agenda.
America First Legal, a group founded by former Trump officials, filed a complaint claiming Cracker Barrel has used race and gender in hiring decisions. A civil rights complaint is also pending with the Tennessee Attorney General.
Critics argue that this focus on “diversity quotas” shows where the company’s priorities are headed – not toward its food or customer experience, but toward political correctness.
Not the First Time
This isn’t Cracker Barrel’s first brush with controversy.
In 2023, the chain celebrated Pride Month with a rainbow-colored rocking chair and added plant-based Impossible sausage to its menu.
Both moves set off debates among customers and drew pushback from conservatives who said the company was abandoning its traditional base.
The current rebrand, combined with those earlier decisions, has made it easier for many on the right to see a pattern.
Critics Say It’s Overblown
Of course, not everyone sees the changes as a problem. CEO Masino insists that feedback has been “overwhelmingly positive” and says the new design will help attract younger families while keeping the chain’s Southern hospitality alive.
Some tech voices, like AI developer Mario Pawlowski, argue the backlash is exaggerated. He said on X that boycotts like these “risk hurting 77,600 employees across the country just for meme points.”
A Familiar Pattern
Whether this is “woke” or just “modernization,” the reaction fits a pattern we’ve seen before. Companies that drift too far from their core image often face pushback.
Bud Light lost billions in sales after its 2023 partnership with a transgender influencer. Target faced boycotts over Pride displays. Now Cracker Barrel is learning the same lesson: if you market to everyone, you risk losing the very people who kept you in business.
It’s one more example of corporate America bending to progressive culture. And for investors, the stock chart already shows the cost.
The question now is whether customers will forgive and keep coming back for biscuits and gravy – or take their business somewhere that still values tradition.
The opinions expressed by contributors are their own and do not necessarily represent the views of Nevada News & Views. This article was written with the assistance of AI. Please verify information and consult additional sources as needed.
