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Conservative filmmaker Robby Starbuck helped shine a spotlight on the controversy when he posted the video to social media. His post quickly went viral, racking up more than 70,000 views.
“Does this seem like something their customers want to be sponsoring?” Starbuck asked pointedly.
WATCH:
The new outrage piles on top of the storm already brewing over Cracker Barrel’s logo change. For decades, the restaurant’s rustic sign featured Uncle Herschel, a figure leaning against a barrel on a front porch—a staple of its country image. That logo has now been scrapped.
Instead, the company claims it was simply “returning” to its 1969 design, which excluded Herschel. But fans weren’t buying it, accusing the brand of caving to modern design fads at the expense of its roots.
In an attempt to calm the waters, Cracker Barrel issued a statement through Fox Business saying, “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. You’ve also shown us that we could’ve done a better job sharing who we are and who we’ll always be.”
But critics immediately called the apology hollow and out of touch. Dr. Carol Swain, a respected political commentator, took aim at the company’s response: “Here is the clueless @CrackerBarrel response. Company executives don’t know how to respond to the magnitude of [the] backlash. When in a hole, just keep digging.”
Conservative radio host Andrew Wilkow advised diners to head elsewhere. “It’s time to get your chicken fried steak with biscuits and gravy at a mom and pop place,” he said.
Others mocked what they saw as Cracker Barrel’s predictable PR playbook. The Federalist founder Sean Davis summed it up this way: “Day 1: Everyone loves what we are doing. Day 5: Only a ‘vocal minority’ opposes what we are doing. Day 8: We’re sorry you’re not smart enough to appreciate what we’re doing. This is the Cracker Barrel marketing and PR trajectory so far. They’re now in wall-of-text fake apology mode (‘we’re sorry you’re offended, but not really’).”
Adding to the discontent, longtime fans have noticed more changes inside Cracker Barrel restaurants themselves. Once known for their nostalgic Americana décor—checkerboards, vintage signs, and a cozy country-store feel—the interiors have been stripped down for a sleek, “modernized” look.
The company insists customers asked for it. A Cracker Barrel spokesperson defended the updates, saying guests have been “overwhelmingly positive and enthusiastic about the refreshed dining and shopping experience.” Detractors, the chain argues, represent only a “vocal minority.”
But judging by the firestorm on social media, that “minority” is growing louder by the day. Cracker Barrel may soon find out just how much brand loyalty it has left—or if its longtime patrons are ready to take Wilkow’s advice and find their comfort food elsewhere.
