Cracker Barrel is altering its iconic and well-known emblem for the primary time in almost 50 years. Sadly, the brand new emblem sucks, and is a component of a bigger development of companies ditching their distinctive qualities and going as broad as attainable in an effort to make the road go up. And by some means this new boring emblem, based on chuds on-line, can be an instance of “going woke.” Of us, 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 makes a speciality of “Southern consolation meals” has changed the well-known emblem with a brand new one that’s merely a yellow form with the Cracker Barrel identify slapped on it. It’s the form of factor that I may whip up in Photoshop in underneath 5 minutes, although I wouldn’t receives a commission the seemingly tens of 1000’s of {dollars} (or extra) that the individuals who truly created the brand new emblem obtained.
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 seek out loads of individuals on-line sharing detrimental 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half of a bigger, much less talked-about rebrand that has been occurring at Cracker Barrel over the past yr or so, with outdated eating places ditching their rustic search for stylish white partitions and fashionable design touches.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 contemporary vitality, 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. Nowadays, you may’t simply be a profitable restaurant that grandparents convey their grandkids to to allow them to share tales from “again in my day…” over giant parts of so-so consolation meals. You possibly can’t simply be a worthwhile firm. You must develop. It’s essential to all the time develop. The stockholders demand it. They’ll minimize your head off and exchange you if there isn’t regular, unending progress. Making that line go up is all that issues, and if meaning ditching a basic emblem that may have postpone some youthful eaters, or shedding individuals endlessly, so be it. As an alternative of making an attempt to be one factor for some individuals, Cracker Barrel and different corporations determined to develop have to be many issues to everybody. And in making an attempt to enchantment 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 Conflict
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 couple of jokes or feedback about, after which transfer on from. Nope! Altering the brand has set off a firestorm on-line amongst chuds and weirdos, with one in every of President Trump’s sons complaining in regards to the change for instance of an organization “going woke.”
WTF is unsuitable with @CrackerBarrel??! https://t.co/LkYB5N34Qi
— Donald Trump Jr. (@DonaldJTrumpJr) August 20, 2025
Conservative activist Robby Starbuck posted on Thursday: “Good morning @CrackerBarrel! You’re about to study 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 will discover a wierd combine of individuals complaining about meals whereas sharing memes calling the meals joint “Cucker Barrel.”
“I feel 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 fireplace 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 criticism means right this moment. Nor do I feel 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 all the pieces to be focused to everybody with no distinct traits or options. I’d wish to have the selection to go to a spot that’s stuffed with old-timey decorations and a captivating emblem from the ’70s.
Additionally, Cracker Barrel, a couple of emblem adjustments and a few white partitions aren’t going to trick me or youthful individuals 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 all the pieces must enchantment to the plenty. That’s how you find yourself with boring Marvel motion pictures and boring video games which might be overstuffed with each characteristic you may consider. And that appears like a horrible future.
