by Alex Lloyd Gross
Less than one week after Cracker Barrel unveiled their new logo and store layout, they announced late last night that they are not going forward with those changes after all. The company suffered huge financial losses of over $100 Million Dollars and the backlash against those new changes was swift and harsh.
From internet memes to an AI generated video of CEO Julie Feliss Masino, walking through a store telling customers “We xxcked up”, as she tells the beloved mascot Uncle Hershel to take a crap in a barrel, not letting hm out of his rocking chair, the company has been roasted and it’s not just by customers. The brand came under fire by politicians on both sides.
Earlier the company admitted they were wrong in the way they unveiled the changes, but vowed to keep them. 12 Hours later the company said they are keeping the old logo.
The locations of these stores is no accident. They are close to interstates and have become staples of travelers all across the country. The change is said to have cost the company over $700 Million dollars. As for the stock price, time will only tell if it will come back and how long that will take.
The future of Masino as CEO is also unknown, after this disaster. A restrarunt should never change it’s logo or branding once it has connected with customers and menue changes should be subtle. If a chain is known for gravy or a certain food item, they should not remove the item. Recently, some Cracker Barrel locations have stopped serving the iconic roast beef.