Cracker Barrel said Tuesday that after listening to its customers, it will scrap its new logo and keep the “Old Timer” in place.
“We thank your guests for sharing your voices and love for Cracker Barrel,” the restaurant chain said in a statement to FOX Business. “We said we would listen, and we have. Our new logo is going away and our ‘Old Timer’ will remain. At Cracker Barrel, it’s always been – and always will be – about serving up delicious food, warm welcomes, and the kind of country hospitality that feels like family.”
“As a proud American institution, our 70,000 hardworking employees look forward to welcoming you to our table soon,” the restaurant chain added.
CRACKER BARREL’S CEO DISMISSED WARNINGS FROM A TOP INVESTOR WHO CALLED THE REBRANDING ‘OBVIOUS FOLLY’
Deputy White House Chief of Staff Taylor Budowich said on social media that he appreciated a call earlier in the evening with Cracker Barrel.
“They thanked President Trump for weighing in on the issue of their iconic ‘original’ logo,” he wrote. “They wanted the President to know that they heard him, along with customer response (the ultimate poll), and would be restoring the ‘Old Timer.’ So smart! Congrats Cracker Barrel and America!”
Trump also weighed in on social media after learning about the restaurant’s decision to stick to their old logo.
“Congratulations ‘Cracker Barrel’ on changing your logo back to what it was. All of your fans very much appreciate it,” he wrote. “Good luck into the future. Make lots of money and, most importantly, make your customers happy again!”
Cracker Barrel found itself at odds with its fans after removing “Uncle Herschel” from its logo. The company unveiled its revamped text-only design, sparking backlash and sinking its stock price.
The original 1969 logo was also text-only, but the 1977 addition of the now-iconic imagery became a staple of its branding.
The chain also redesigned the interior of its restaurants, ditching the kitschy American aesthetic and replacing it with a slick modernist motif.
WHITE HOUSE TROLLS CRACKER BARREL WITH ITS OWN REDESIGNED LOGO: ‘GO WOKE, GO BROKE’
| Ticker | Security | Last | Change | Change % |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CBRL | CRACKER BARREL OLD COUNTRY STORE INC. | 57.71 | +3.44 | +6.35% |
Cracker Barrel has stood by its recent moves and said 87% of respondents in their “Our values haven’t changed, and the heart and soul of Cracker Barrel haven’t changed,” a spokesperson previously told Fox News Digital research either loved or liked the new logo.
“And Uncle Herschel remains front and center in our restaurants and on our menu. He is the face of ‘The Herschel Way,’ the foundation of how our 70,000-plus employees provide the country hospitality for which we are known,” the spokesperson continued.
“Cracker Barrel has been a destination for comfort and community for more than half a century, and this fifth evolution of the brand’s logo, which works across digital platforms as well as billboards and roadside signs, is a call-back to the original and rooted even more in the iconic barrel shape and word mark that started it all back in 1969.”
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Earlier, Trump posted on Truth Social urging the company to restore its old logo, admit it misread customers, and manage the brand “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,” the president wrote.
He added, “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!”
CRACKER BARREL ADMITS IT ‘COULD’VE DONE A BETTER JOB’ AFTER NEW LOGO BACKLASH
On Monday, Cracker Barrel admitted that it “could have done a better job sharing who we are and who we’ll always be” after customers expressed outrage over the restaurant chain’s new logo.
The company said what has not and “will never change” are the values Cracker Barrel was built on when the Lebanon, Tennessee-based chain first opened in 1969.
Those values, the company said, are “hard work, family, and scratch-cooked food made with care.”
FOX Business’ Greg Norman and Stephen Sorace contributed to this report.
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