You may have seen it coming. As white walls replace colorful wallpaper, solid bed sheets replace floral patterns, and the compulsive declutterers have overtaken hoarders — all trends that convey modernity — have emanated to the far corners of our culture, you’d expect brands to follow suit in pursuit of their valued customers.
It shouldn’t have come as a shock that Cracker Barrel, a chain iconic for its small-town, country aesthetic, was no different. Yet customers are left reeling from the recent change to every sign peeking from the corner of highways, letting drivers know how many miles to the next Cracker Barrel.
Is Cracker Barrel changing its logo?
The new logo features the brand’s name with brown lettering against a yellow border, all of which has been retained from the previous logo. What was not retained is the more relevant information — the logo no longer features a man seated, leaning his elbow on an adjacent barrel, nor the statement “Old Country Store” written in brown font on the bottom of the logo.
What other changes is Cracker Barrel making?
Unbeknownst to many common Cracker Barrel goers like myself, the brand has been conducting a year-long revamp, including changes to its menu and restaurant decor. While the updates are in theme with the brighter, more contemporary look that other food chains are aspiring for, many customers have demonstrated their dissatisfaction with the brand’s swiftness to abandon its traditional country feel.
While customers are quick to come to the conclusion that Cracker Barrel has abandoned its antique, country vibe, Cracker Barrel told USA TODAY its “values haven’t changed, and the heart and soul of Cracker Barrel haven’t changed.”
All of the recent changes to the brand fall under its massive, three-year-long mission to improve Cracker Barrels across America. The project is known as “All the More,” and you can be sure that no more dark wood paneling or country kitsch trinkets will be missed in the complete overhaul. Cracker Barrel’s communications team has been hard at work to justify these dramatic renovations.
“With ‘All the More,’ we’re honoring our legacy while bringing fresh energy,” Sarah Moore, Cracker Barrel’s chief marketing officer, said in a statement this week.
What has been people’s reaction to the Cracker Barrel changes?
Long-time fans of the brand have turned to social media to air their grievances. In posts earlier this year, customers lamented the modifications to the brand’ image. One Tik-Tok user, @rachelallthelove, posted a video walking through a remodeled location. She captioned her video, “When Cracker Barrel took away the last piece of nostalgia you had left.”
Others have been less harsh and may even be warming up to the changes, including Tik-Tok user @kristilynnstokes, who captioned her video “ I prefer the darker cozier look, I also don’t like change.. but…,” seemingly coming around to the modern feel of the restaurant.
The updated visuals will appear across menus and marketing collateral, the company said in a statement. No matter the Cracker Barrel that holds your loyalty, you can expect a refreshed, farmhouse restaurant to be the new setting while you grub mid-road trip.