Cracker Barrel Catastrophe?

Recently, Cracker Barrel changed its logo and started remodeling its restaurants. (It later returned to the original logo.) I went to Cracker Barrel to see what was different.

On Aug. 19, Cracker Barrel announced a remodel of its logo and some of its restaurants. CEO Julie Maseno said, “Cracker Barrel needs to feel like the Cracker Barrel of today and tomorrow.” But on Aug. 22, the company’s stocks fell 7%, which was a $94 million loss. The old logo that everyone knows—a man in overalls sitting in a chair and leaning on a barrel next to a sign that says “Cracker Barrel” with “Old Country Store” underneath—was replaced with a new logo. The new one looks like a barrel on its side with the words “Cracker Barrel” inside. Critics say it looks generic.

I went to Cracker Barrel on Aug. 25 to see the changes for myself. I noticed was that the freeway sign still had the old logo. That made me think my restaurant wasn’t changed yet. When we walked up, I saw the rocking chairs and the big checker game. Inside, everything looked the same as before. The walls still had a deer head, a hunting rifle, plates, old signs and pictures, and wooden planks in the shape of socks. The new menu had the new logo, but I didn’t see it anywhere else. The food was still exquisite. The only real difference I noticed was that the old kerosene lamps on the tables were gone. Other than that, nothing felt different. In the end, the redesign did not change my dining experience.