Cracker Barrel, the beloved Southern-themed restaurant chain, found itself at the heart of a culture war storm this week after unveiling a new logo that stripped away its iconic image of a man in overalls leaning on a barrel. The change, intended as a nod to the company’s original 1969 design and a step toward modernizing the brand, instead ignited outrage among conservative commentators and supporters of former President Donald Trump, who accused the company of bowing to so-called “woke” pressures. The backlash was swift and fierce, and the financial fallout was just as dramatic: on August 21, 2025, Cracker Barrel’s market value plummeted by $94 million in a single day, with shares closing at $54.80, down 7.15% after hitting a midday low of nearly 15% (according to CBS News and Seeking Alpha).
The new logo, which now features simply the name "Cracker Barrel" against a classic gold background, is the chain’s fifth logo redesign since its founding. The previous version, introduced in 1977, included the now-familiar seated man—a figure based on founder Dan Evins’ uncle—leaning on a barrel. This image had come to symbolize the brand’s folksy Americana and was a fixture in the chain’s branding for nearly five decades. Cracker Barrel, headquartered in Lebanon, Tennessee, operates over 660 locations across 45 states and employs more than 77,000 people, making it a significant presence in the American restaurant landscape (as reported by The Independent).
Yet, what was meant as a return to roots quickly became a lightning rod for political controversy. Conservative pundits and MAGA supporters took to social media in droves, lambasting the redesign as part of a broader trend of corporations embracing diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives. Congressman Byron Donalds of Florida, a former Cracker Barrel employee, voiced his frustration on X (formerly Twitter), stating, “Their logo was iconic and their unique restaurants were a fixture of American culture. No one asked for this woke rebrand. It’s time to Make Cracker Barrel Great Again.”
Right-wing commentator Matt Walsh echoed the sentiment, declaring, “Yes let’s remove everything charming and distinct from the logo and make it as generic and boring as we possibly can.” Donald Trump Jr., the former president’s eldest son, joined in, posting, “WTF is wrong with Cracker Barrel ??!” in response to a post that criticized CEO Julie Felss Masino and her “DEI regime.” Owen Shroyer, another conservative pundit, added his own twist, referencing the old logo and the company’s attempts to appeal to a younger crowd: “Yes, own the hilarious irony of using a racial slur against your main demographic. It will attract that younger crowd you're reaching for. Or serve better food.”
The intensity of the reaction was on full display across social platforms, with some comparing the uproar to the 2023 Bud Light controversy, when conservatives called for a boycott after the beer brand featured a transgender influencer in an ad. One user labeled Cracker Barrel “the Bud Light of formerly great restaurants,” while another posted an image of CEO Masino in a clown wig, captioned, “Cracker Barrel... the Bud Light of Barrels.” The political dimension of the backlash was further underscored by California Governor Gavin Newsom, who mocked MAGA outrage in a sarcastic all-caps post: “WHAT IS WRONG WITH CRACKER BARREL?? KEEP YOUR BEAUTIFUL LOGO!!! THE NEW ONE LOOKS LIKE CHEAP VELVEETA ‘CHEESE’ FROM WALMART… WOKE IS DEAD!! THANK YOU FOR YOUR ATTENTION TO THIS MATTER.” (as seen on HuffPost).
For its part, Cracker Barrel defended the change. In a statement to Axios and The Independent, the company explained that the new logo is “now rooted even more closely to the iconic barrel shape and word mark that started it all back in 1969.” The company emphasized that “Uncle Herschel remains front and center in our restaurants and on our menu,” assuring fans that the spirit of the brand still lives on, even if the logo has changed. The update, they said, is part of a broader effort to reinvent the brand after admitting it had fallen behind competitors. CEO Julie Felss Masino candidly told investors in May, “We’re just not as relevant as we once were.”
But the logo controversy is only the latest chapter in Cracker Barrel’s ongoing struggle with its public image and political perceptions. In recent years, the chain has launched recruitment efforts for racially and ethnically diverse talent and has publicly supported organizations like the NAACP and LGBTQ+ communities—a marked departure from its 1990s policies, when it reportedly discriminated against LGBTQ+ applicants. These new DEI initiatives have themselves become a target for conservative groups. In July 2025, America First Legal, a nonprofit co-founded by former White House aide Stephen Miller, requested that the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission and the Tennessee Attorney General investigate Cracker Barrel for “potential violations of federal and state civil rights laws stemming from its diversity, equity, and inclusion policies” (as reported by Axios and The Independent).
The financial repercussions of the rebrand were immediate and severe. According to CBS News and Seeking Alpha, Cracker Barrel’s shares lost another 13% on Thursday, capping a five-day, 20% losing streak. While the company was able to recover some of the midday losses, the drop still wiped out nearly $100 million in market value in a single day. The stock’s tumble reflected not only investor unease over the rebranding but also broader concerns about the company’s ability to keep pace with changing consumer preferences and competition in the casual dining sector.
Not everyone on social media was eager to join the backlash. AI developer Mario Pawlowski criticized what he called “tradition terrorism,” warning that boycotts could hurt the company’s 77,600 employees and the communities they serve. “Wrecking brands that employ thousands and support local communities, all for meme points. Wake the hell up!” he wrote, urging restraint and perspective amid the outrage (as quoted by The Independent).
As the dust settles, the Cracker Barrel logo controversy stands as a vivid example of how even the most seemingly innocuous corporate decisions can become flashpoints in America’s ongoing culture wars. In attempting to modernize its image and reconnect with its roots, the company inadvertently found itself at the intersection of politics, identity, and business—a place where the stakes are high, the opinions are loud, and the consequences can be felt on Wall Street as much as Main Street.
For Cracker Barrel, the challenge now is to weather the storm, reassure its diverse customer base, and chart a path forward that honors its history while adapting to the realities of the present. Whether the new logo will ultimately help or hinder that mission remains to be seen, but one thing’s for sure: in today’s America, no brand is too old-fashioned—or too iconic—to escape the spotlight of controversy.
