Cracker Barrel CEO out on heels of failed rebrand that removed Uncle Herschel logo, infuriated customers

Cracker Barrel announced connected Monday that CEO Julie Masino will measurement down astir 1 twelvemonth aft a disastrous attempt to modernize nan institution infuriated customers and forced a stunning about-face. 

Last summer, nan Cracker Barrel edifice concatenation famously changed its logo and shop interiors while removing nan "Old Timer" dubbed "Uncle Herschel" from its branding. The rebrand was portion of a $700 cardinal overhaul crossed nan company's 660-plus restaurants, which besides included a revamped menu. 

Uncle Herschel, who depicted a accepted Southern wide shop personality, was replaced by a minimalist redesign that dropped nan character. The chain’s iconic ornamental knickknacks were besides scaled down. 

But nan changes didn’t spell complete well, and nan marque was vilified connected societal media, pinch longtime customers arguing nan institution was abandoning nan nostalgic look that had defined nan marque for decades. Conservatives accused nan edifice concatenation of going "woke," and galore longtime customers insisted they wouldn’t return. 

CRACKER BARREL CEO JULIE MASINO TO STEP DOWN

Cracker Barrel edifice concatenation changed its logo and shop interiors while removing nan "Old Timer" dubbed "Uncle Herschel" from its branding successful 2025 during a short-lived rebrand.  (Richard Beetham for Fox News Digital)

The arguable effort to modernize resulted successful Cracker Barrel being compared to different brands that person irked conservatives successful caller memory, specified arsenic Bud Light and Target. 

The institution reversed people amid wide outrage, pinch Masino explaining that nan effort missed nan people and stemmed from an effort to amended nan impermanent acquisition astatine its locations.

Cracker Barrel shared a societal media station that included a 32-second video of nan "Old Timer" motion being restored and nan decorations connected nan wall wrong 1 of its remodeled restaurants being removed.

The ordeal generated truthful overmuch attraction that President Donald Trump moreover chimed in, first urging Cracker Barrel connected societal media to bring backmost nan original logo and past congratulating nan edifice for listening. 

CRACKER BARREL SALES, TRAFFIC CONTINUE TO SLUMP MONTHS AFTER FAILED REBRAND

Workers return down nan caller Cracker Barrel motion and switch it pinch nan "Old Timer" logo astatine nan Smyrna, Tennessee, location. (Cracker Barrel)

Less than a twelvemonth aft nan about-face, Masino is group to exit nan company. She will stay pinch Cracker Barrel successful an advisory capacity until Oct. 9. David Deno has been named arsenic her replacement. 

Cracker Barrel's announcement of nan activity turnover besides included a connection from Deno, who said nan concatenation is simply a "truly iconic American brand, defined by its unsocial operation of lukewarm state hospitality, timeless appeal, and heavy relationship pinch guests crossed generations."

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Fox News Digital’s Sophia Compton, Eric Revell and Peter Burke contributed to this report.