Cracker Barrel is altering its iconic and well-known emblem for the primary time in practically 50 years. Sadly, the brand new emblem sucks, and is a component of a bigger pattern of companies ditching their distinctive qualities and going as broad as doable as a way to make the road go up. And by some means this new boring emblem, in accordance with chuds on-line, can also be an instance of “going woke.” People, it’s a multitude on the market.
On August 19, Cracker Barrel introduced that it was ditching its 48-year-old emblem that includes a person sitting subsequent to a barrel. As an alternative, the restaurant that focuses on “Southern consolation meals” has changed the well-known emblem with a brand new one that’s merely a yellow form with the Cracker Barrel title slapped on it. It’s the sort of factor that I may whip up in Photoshop in beneath 5 minutes, although I wouldn’t receives a commission the probably tens of hundreds of {dollars} (or extra) that the individuals who truly created the brand new emblem acquired.
There’s no manner round it: The brand new emblem is boring, bland, and unhealthy. Individuals hate it. You don’t must look onerous to search out loads of folks on-line sharing damaging ideas on the brand new, modernized emblem. It’s additionally half of a bigger, much less talked-about rebrand that has been occurring at Cracker Barrel during the last 12 months or so, with outdated eating places ditching their rustic search for stylish white partitions and trendy design touches.
“Our story hasn’t modified. Our values haven’t modified,” mentioned Cracker Barrel’s CMO Sarah Moore. “With ‘All of the Extra,’ we’re honoring our legacy whereas bringing recent power, considerate craftsmanship and heartfelt hospitality to our visitors this fall.”
The truth is that Cracker Barrel’s “story” has modified, as a result of it’s now 2025 and it’s a publicly traded firm. At the moment, you’ll be able to’t simply be a profitable restaurant that grandparents convey their grandkids to to allow them to share tales from “again in my day…” over massive parts of so-so consolation meals. You possibly can’t simply be a worthwhile firm. You must develop. It’s essential to at all times develop. The stockholders demand it. They’ll minimize your head off and substitute you if there isn’t regular, endless progress. Making that line go up is all that issues, and if which means ditching a basic emblem which may have delay some youthful eaters, or shedding folks endlessly, so be it. As an alternative of making an attempt to be one factor for some folks, Cracker Barrel and different firms determined to develop have to be many issues to everybody. And in making an attempt to attraction to all, Cracker Barrel has stripped itself of its well-known emblem and distinctive traits, which makes it onerous to justify going there for a meal.
Cracker Barrel, Welcome To The Tradition Battle
However after all, additionally as a result of it’s 2025, this emblem change can’t simply be one thing all of us take a look at, shake our heads at, perhaps make a number of jokes or feedback about, after which transfer on from. Nope! Altering the emblem has set off a firestorm on-line amongst chuds and weirdos, with one among President Trump’s sons complaining in regards to the change for instance of an organization “going woke.”
WTF is flawed with @CrackerBarrel??!
— Donald Trump Jr. (@DonaldJTrumpJr) August 20, 2025
Conservative activist Robby Starbuck posted on Thursday: “Good morning @CrackerBarrel! You’re about to be taught that wokeness actually doesn’t pay.” Over on the Cracker Barrel subreddit, which is a factor even when it has a really tiny neighborhood, you’ll find an odd combine of individuals complaining about meals whereas sharing memes calling the meals joint “Cucker Barrel.”
“I believe it’s time for the Workers and Clients to Stand Up. Go Woke Go Broke,” mentioned one poster. One other particular person shared a petition to fireside the CEO of Cracker Barrel over the adjustments. The petition had one signature, and the poster had 0 upvotes.
To be clear, I don’t suppose Cracker Barrel altering a emblem is “going woke,” no matter that idiotic grievance means right now. Nor do I believe it’s an assault on outdated American values. I do, nonetheless, suppose Cracker Barrel’s simplified emblem and shift to extra sterile-looking eating rooms are unhealthy and irritating. I don’t need the whole lot to be focused to everybody with no distinct traits or options. I’d prefer to have the selection to go to a spot that’s stuffed with old-timey decorations and an enthralling emblem from the ’70s.
Additionally, Cracker Barrel, a number of emblem adjustments and a few white partitions aren’t going to trick me or youthful folks into consuming there. I say lean into your clientele and make the menus cursive and put rotary telephones on every desk that it’s a must to use to order your meals. Give these grandparents much more stuff to level at and go, “Oh, I wager you don’t know what that’s!” whereas their younger grandkids roll their eyes. Not the whole lot must attraction to the plenty. That’s how you find yourself with boring Marvel motion pictures and boring video games which are overstuffed with each function you’ll be able to consider. And that seems like a horrible future.
