Cracker Barrel’s board of directors and top executives have remained tight-lipped after the restaurant chain’s decision to change its classic logo angered its customers nationwide.
Timothy Calkins, associate chair of the marketing department at Northwestern Kellogg School of Management, told FOX Business that the company can turn the situation around if it communicates well with the public and is transparent about its decisions.
“But to do that, they’ve got to be out there communicating, talking, and sharing the news and sharing their perspective in an authentic, credible way,” Calkins said, noting that only releasing a corporate statement doesn’t suffice.
While the statements are good, Calkins said he would encourage leadership, notably Cracker Barrel CEO Julie Felss Masino or the head of marketing, to “get out there and do interviews.”
“The more I think you talk and explain what you’re doing, the better it’s going to be, especially because now they have clearly responded,” Calkins said. “They clearly heard the feedback. And when people have feedback, they want to be heard.”
FOX Business has requested interviews with executives and board members.
CRACKER BARREL SHARES CLIMB AFTER COMPANY SAYS IT’S SCRAPPING NEW LOGO
Masino last week touted the success of the company’s new logo, which erased Uncle Hershel in favor of plain modern text, telling “Good Morning America’s” Michael Strahan that the “feedback’s been overwhelmingly positive that people like what we’re doing.”
In the days that followed, the company lost $143 million in market value and faced strong backlash from critics.
President Donald Trump even got involved on Tuesday.
“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,” Trump wrote in a post on Truth Social.
“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,” Trump added.
Late Tuesday, the company, in a statement, said it would scrap the redesign and reinstate its longtime logo.
| Ticker | Security | Last | Change | Change % |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CBRL | CRACKER BARREL OLD COUNTRY STORE INC. | 62.20 | +4.50 | +7.79% |
CRACKER BARREL’S LOGO BACKLASH: THE COST OF MAJOR BRANDING MISTAKES
“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.”
Despite reversing course on the logo, Calkins said that the company still has to figure out how to bring back its relevance and drive people back into stores.
“They need to make sure the brand is relevant in bringing people to the stores and to the restaurants, and I think there are some changes that are necessary,” Calkins said.
“Maybe a step-by-step approach is going to work better than too big a change too quickly,” he added.
Deputy White House Chief of Staff Taylor Budowich said Tuesday on social media that he appreciated a call earlier Tuesday evening from Cracker Barrel.
“I appreciated the call earlier this evening with @CrackerBarrel. They thanked President Trump for weighing in on the issue of their iconic “original” logo. 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!” he posted on X.
After asking late Tuesday if any executives or board members were available to explain what went wrong, Cracker Barrel told FOX Business “not at the moment.”
Last week, in the midst of the pushback, which some critics said was “brand suicide”, the company told FOX Business in a statement that while the logo changed, the company’s values hadn’t and that the redesign is an even bigger nod to its original roots.
“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,” the company said.
When Cracker Barrel opened its first location in 1969, the logo consisted solely of a text-only design, featuring the name “Cracker Barrel.”
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