Cracker Barrel’s decision to revamp its iconic logo has set off a storm of criticism among conservatives, with some MAGA supporters declaring the change an attack on tradition. This week, the Southern-themed restaurant chain unveiled a new look that drops the familiar image of an old man sitting beside a barrel.
The updated design keeps only the chain’s name, using a modernized typeface while retaining its gold and brown color scheme. For decades, the logo was meant to represent “the old country store experience where folks would gather around and share stories,” according to the company.
Nashville designer Bill Holley created the original in 1977, and while it has been tweaked several times over the years, this marks the first time the barrel and man are gone entirely. In a press release, the company said the 2025 logo “is now rooted even more closely to the iconic barrel shape and word mark that started it all.”
But the redesign has prompted fury on the right. Donald Trump Jr. reacted on X, writing, “WTF is wrong with Cracker Barrel?” Right-wing YouTuber Benny Johnson added, “Cracker Barrel completely changed their iconic logo for the first time in 47 years… and it’s absolutely horrible. When will they learn?”
Utah Republican Senator Mike Lee weighed in with a jab at corporate rebranding, posting, “Which logo change is worse—(a) Cracker Barrel or (b) Land O Lakes?” Dairy brand Land O Lakes removed the image of a Native American woman from its butter packaging in 2020.
Ultra-conservative X account Woke War Room also attacked the move, accusing Cracker Barrel CEO Julie Felss Masino of having “scrapped a beloved American aesthetic and replaced it with sterile, soulless branding.” Trump Jr. reposted the criticism.
Masino, who joined Cracker Barrel two years ago after a career with Taco Bell, Starbucks, Mattel, and Sprinkles Cupcakes, has also faced pushback for maintaining diversity and inclusion initiatives at the chain. Woke War Room demanded she “resign and be replaced with leadership that will restore Cracker Barrel’s tradition.”
Others mocked the outrage. Former Ohio State Senator Nina Turner wrote on X, “People can’t afford housing, groceries, and are going bankrupt if they get cancer. So naturally, conservatives are mad about Cracker Barrel’s logo.”
The company, which operates about 660 locations in 43 states, has defended the update. “We believe in the goodness of country hospitality, a spirit that has always defined us,” said CMO Sarah Moore. “Our story hasn’t changed. Our values haven’t changed.”
As part of its rebranding, Cracker Barrel has hired country singer Jordan Davis to appear in new commercials.