Cracker Barrel, the beloved Southern-themed restaurant chain with nearly 660 locations across the United States, has found itself at the center of a heated national debate over its recent logo redesign. The controversy reached new heights on August 26, 2025, when former President Donald Trump publicly called for the company to revert to its original logo, sparking a wave of commentary from political figures, longtime fans, and the company itself.
The uproar began after Cracker Barrel unveiled its new branding on August 18, 2025, removing the iconic image of 'Uncle Herschel'—a man sitting next to a wooden barrel that had adorned the chain’s logo since 1977—in favor of a simplified, text-only design. The updated logo, anchored in the brand’s signature gold and brown tones, features the restaurant’s name in black lettering over a yellow barrel-shaped backdrop. According to a press release from Cracker Barrel, this marks the fifth evolution of their visual identity, aiming to root the brand more closely to its origins while appealing to modern sensibilities.
But not everyone was convinced. The change quickly sparked backlash online, with longtime patrons and social media users questioning whether the new look signaled a departure from Cracker Barrel’s traditional roots. Some mocked the redesign, while others lamented the loss of the familiar 'Uncle Herschel' figure. The company’s stock price reflected the turmoil, dropping by tens of millions of dollars in the days following the announcement, as reported by Nexstar Media.
President Trump, never one to shy away from branding debates, took to his Truth Social platform to weigh in. “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,” he wrote on August 26. Trump argued that the controversy had given Cracker Barrel a unique opportunity, stating, “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’s remarks didn’t stop there. Drawing on his own reputation as a master of branding, he added, “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!” The White House even posted an altered version of the Cracker Barrel logo, featuring Trump as the 'old timer' and swapping the restaurant’s name for “America First.” The image was accompanied by the phrase, “Go woke, go broke.”
Senator Ted Cruz of Texas echoed Trump’s sentiments, reposting the former president’s comments and adding, “exactly right.” The coordinated response from high-profile conservatives amplified the public debate, with some supporters arguing that the logo change was an unnecessary break from tradition, while others saw it as a smart move to modernize the brand and attract new customers.
Cracker Barrel, for its part, has tried to strike a balance between honoring its heritage and embracing change. In a statement issued on August 25, the company acknowledged the intensity of the backlash and the emotional ties many customers have to the brand. “If the last few days have shown us anything, it’s how deeply people care about Cracker Barrel. We’re truly grateful for your heartfelt voices,” the statement read. “You’ve also shown us that we could’ve done a better job sharing who we are and who we’ll always be.”
Addressing concerns about the fate of Uncle Herschel, Cracker Barrel reassured fans that the character is not disappearing entirely. “We love seeing how much you care about our 'old timer.' We love him too. Uncle Herschel will still be on our menu (welcome back Uncle Herschel’s Favorite Breakfast Platter), on our road signs and featured in our country store. He’s not going anywhere—he’s family.”
The company also highlighted that the original 1969 logo was, in fact, text-only, and the addition of Uncle Herschel in 1977 became a staple of its branding. The recent redesign, according to Cracker Barrel, is meant to reflect both the brand’s history and its future. “Our values haven’t changed, and the heart and soul of Cracker Barrel haven’t changed,” a spokesperson told Fox News Digital. “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.”
Despite the vocal opposition, Cracker Barrel maintains that the bulk of feedback has been positive. CEO Julie Masino, in an interview with Good Morning America, said, “People like what we’re doing. Cracker Barrel needs to feel like the Cracker Barrel for today and for tomorrow—the things that you love are still there. We need people to choose us, and we want people to choose us.” She added that the “buzz is so good, not only from our customers, but from our team.”
Backing up these claims, Cracker Barrel cited internal research showing that 87% of respondents either loved or liked the new logo. The company emphasized that while a vocal minority may feel differently, the majority of guests and team members have been “overwhelmingly positive and enthusiastic about the refreshed dining and shopping experience.”
In addition to the logo update, Cracker Barrel has been rolling out remodeled restaurant locations over the past year. These feature a brighter, more modern Southern country theme, complete with new seating, lighting, and bookcases, while retaining beloved elements like oversized stone fireplaces and mounted taxidermy deer heads. The company’s goal, as stated in its press materials, is to “craft the next chapter of our brand story—one that resonates with loyal guests while welcoming new ones to our table.”
Still, the debate over the logo has become a flashpoint in a broader cultural conversation about tradition, branding, and the expectations of longtime customers. Some argue that brands must evolve to stay relevant in a changing marketplace, while others feel that too much change risks alienating the very people who built the brand’s success in the first place.
For now, Cracker Barrel appears committed to its new look, even as it reassures customers that the spirit of the brand—and Uncle Herschel himself—remains at the heart of its identity. Whether this approach will satisfy critics or prompt a return to the old logo remains to be seen, but one thing is clear: few restaurant chains inspire such passionate debate over a simple barrel and a friendly face.
