Why Did Cracker Barrel Change Its Logo?
To look more modern and pull in younger diners. The new text only logo dropped the old man leaning on a barrel, the backlash was instant, and one week later Cracker Barrel brought the old logo back.
The episode became one of the fastest brand reversals on record, and it turned a sleepy country restaurant chain into a national talking point for a week.
What the old logo shows
Cracker Barrel was founded by Dan Evins in Lebanon, Tennessee in 1969 as a restaurant and country store beside the interstate. The logo most people know shows a man in overalls sitting with his arm on a wooden barrel, next to the words Cracker Barrel Old Country Store. The company has long described the figure as Uncle Herschel, a nod to Evins’s real uncle Herschel McCartney, who later became a goodwill ambassador for the chain.
That image had been on signs, menus and souvenirs for decades. For loyal customers it stood for the whole experience: rocking chairs on the porch, a peg game on every table and biscuits that taste the same in Ohio as they do in Georgia.
Why the company wanted something new
Cracker Barrel’s traffic had been flat for years, and its regulars skew older. Management launched a multi year turnaround plan that included new menu items, a loyalty program and lighter, brighter restaurant interiors. The new logo was the visible face of that plan. It kept the Cracker Barrel name in a gold shape but removed the man and the barrel, which the company said made the brand simpler and easier to use in apps and online.
| Date | What happened |
|---|---|
| Mid August 2025 | Cracker Barrel unveils a text only logo as part of a wider brand refresh |
| Following days | Strong backlash online, with critics saying the chain was erasing its heritage |
| Same week | Public figures, including President Trump, urge the company to go back to the old logo; the share price swings sharply |
| August 26, 2025 | Cracker Barrel says the Old Timer logo will stay and thanks guests for their feedback |
| Weeks after | The company pauses most restaurant remodels and keeps the classic look in stores |
Why the backlash was so big
Three things collided. First, the old logo was genuinely loved, and removing a person from it felt to many fans like removing the warmth from the brand. Second, the remodeled restaurants that were shown online looked plain and white compared with the cluttered antique walls customers expect. Third, the change landed in the middle of a wider online argument about companies rebranding, which pushed the story far beyond food news.
Is the old logo back now?
Yes. Cracker Barrel restored the Old Timer logo with Uncle Herschel and the barrel, and it is the logo on signs, the website and the app today. The company has said its focus is on food and service rather than further brand changes.
Prices for breakfast, lunch and dinner, family meal baskets and hours are on the Cracker Barrel menu.
Related Questions
Why did Cracker Barrel change its logo?
As part of a brand refresh meant to modernize the chain and attract younger diners. The August 2025 logo removed the man and the barrel and kept only the name, but the company reversed the change about a week later after heavy backlash.
Did Cracker Barrel go back to its old logo?
Yes. On August 26, 2025 Cracker Barrel announced that its Old Timer logo, the man leaning on a barrel, would stay. It is the logo in use today.
Who is the man on the Cracker Barrel logo?
The company calls him Uncle Herschel, a nod to founder Dan Evins’s uncle Herschel McCartney, who later served as a goodwill ambassador for the chain.
When was Cracker Barrel founded?
In 1969, when Dan Evins opened the first restaurant and country store in Lebanon, Tennessee, close to a busy interstate.
Did Cracker Barrel stop remodeling its restaurants?
It paused most remodels after the logo backlash, since the plainer interiors shown online drew as much criticism as the logo itself.
Did the Cracker Barrel menu change with the logo?
No. The logo decision did not change the menu. Breakfast is still served all day, and the classic dishes remain.
More on Cracker Barrel
About this guide. USA Food Menu is an independent reference site and is not affiliated with Cracker Barrel Old Country Store, Inc. Details come from company statements and news coverage of the 2025 logo change. Current prices are on the Cracker Barrel menu.
More Restaurant Guides
Who Owns In-N-Out Burger?
Lynsi Snyder, the granddaughter of founders Harry and Esther Snyder. She is the company’s president and has been its sole owner since 2017. In-N-Out has never…
Who Owns Five Guys?
The Murrell family. Jerry and Janie Murrell started Five Guys with their sons in 1986, and the family still owns and runs it. It is a private company that grows…
Who Owns Chili’s?
Brinker International, a Dallas based public company that also owns Maggiano’s Little Italy. Chili’s started as a single burger joint in Dallas in 1975 and has…