Cracker Barrel has decided to roll back its controversial new logo and keep its “Old Timer” leaning against that barrel.
A week after the company unveiled its new look — which didn’t sit well with customers — it announced on its website that the “new logo is going away.”
“We thank our guests for sharing your voices and love for Cracker Barrel. We said we would listen, and we have,” the Aug. 26 statement reads. “Our new logo is going away and our ‘Old Timer’ will remain.”
The company added, “At Cracker Barrel, it’s always been — and always will be — about serving up delicious food, warm welcomes, and the kind of country hospitality that feels like family. As a proud American institution, our 70,000 hardworking employees look forward to welcoming you to our table soon.”
Founded in 1969, the Tennessee-based company debuted its new and simpler logo on Aug. 19. This was the first time in 48 years that it did not include the man, known as Uncle Herschel, sitting down and leaning against a barrel. The company noted that it was the fifth version of its logo.
However, backlash ensued with customers of the restaurant chain not happy with the redesign. Shares of Cracker Barrel plunged 12%, losing $94 million in market value on Aug. 21. This marked one of the company’s worst single day declines in years.
Cracker Barrel had also shared plans to remodel its restaurants, moving away from its signature, well-worn Southern look, toward more of a modern farmhouse aesthetic, which also sparked backlash.
The decision to keep its old logo came a day after Cracker Barrel responded to the backlash, noting in a lengthy Aug. 25 letter that it “could’ve done a better job.”
“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 company wrote. “You’ve also shown us that we could’ve done a better job sharing who we are and who we’ll always be.”
It added, in part, “What has not changed, and what will never change, are the values this company was built on when Cracker Barrel first opened in 1969: hard work, family, scratch-cooked food made with care.”
And now, neither will its logo.
