Cracker Barrel launched a rebrand and all hell broke out, but the issues weren't the generic restaurant interiors or the AI design looking soulless logo that Cracker Barrel's new DEI CEO spent over $700 million on. Sardar Biglari, a top investor in Cracker Barrel, warned the CEO and BOD that that the rebranding was "obvious folly," filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission reveal. (10) While obvious folly was accurate, it was what the rebrand revealed, a once traditional all-American company that was anything but. Cracker Barrel's customer base is to this day 100% Americana, but the company had walked away from its roots years ago.
Alienating longtime patrons doesn’t win over new ones.
I feel like we've been downe this road before. Here: "Woke is not a marketing strategy." and here: "The lazy marketers of today." Let's let Robbie Starkbuck educate you on how Woke Cracker Barrel has become. Watch the video below:
Since the rebrand Cracker Barrel's stock plummeted by $100 Million (1) and social media is on fire with Meme's slamming the rebrand, the Woke CEO and the companies homogenized interiors. Cracker Barrel's President and CEO Julie Felss Masino, who earns $1 million a year, has become a target for regular customers outraged over the change. (2) After endless denials by Masino regarding the backlash the company issued a promiseless apology stating 'Uncle Herschel' would stay on menu, the store, and road signs only served to enrage the customer base further. (3)(5)
This type of betrayal is somehow worse than Bud Light and dozens of other companies. Maybe it's the timing in 2025 as American's expect these agenda's to be gone. Maybe its the false narrative of anti-traditional values: pro LGTBQ+P, DEI, and Woke ideology being revealed. (6) Maybe "instead of embracing what made Cracker Barrel a beloved brand, Julie Felss Masino turned Cracker Barrel into Julie Felss Masino." (8) It's hard to say really, but in all likelihood the restaurant is going under and sadly will never return.
In 2024 the company raised menu prices, sales flattened and lost half its stock price. (7) So a rebrand wasn't a terrible strategy, but in doing so they wiped away the external remnants of their heritage, dismissed their customer base, revealed their true nature and Woke underbelly. In today's America, even the DNC is advising its politicians to stop using Woke language. (4) So for a company to continue to embrace such ideology is seemingly unforgiveable. Even the Cracker Barrel Founder has responded negatively to the new CEO's Woke rebrand. (14) That being said, Black Rock, Vanguard Group and GMT Capitol corp are the same VC's pushing DEI & ESG on companies they buy. As the main stock holders of Cracker Barrel, perhaps it's all quite intentional? Disaster profiteering at the expense of yet another major American brand. (11)
UPDATE: Cracker Barrel will return to the old logo, will stay woke, but has taken down their LGTBQ+P Pride page. (12)(13) POTUS Trump was asked about the issue with the Cracker Barrel rebrand. Trump advised the company to go back to their original logo and follow the customers demands. Shockingly, they did just that.
UPDATE2: Cracker Barrel shares are lower in premarket trading after posting softer-than-expected quarterly sales and cutting full-year revenue and profit guidance. Customer traffic dropped more than anticipated, driven in part by backlash after the casual dining chain effectively "Bud Lighted" itself with a disastrous woke rebranding. Revenue is still down 5.7% fourth months after rebrand fail. (15)
If you're a company looking to create a marketing campaign or build an internal agency, contact Kevin Amter. His globally awarded campaign for UPS International and dozens of other Fortune 500 brands will strategically move your company in a winning direction.
SOURCE LINKS:
(1) Cracker Barrel loses almost $100 million in value as stock plunges after new logo release(2) Cracker Barrel workers' bombshell claims about $1M-a-year CEO as she faces calls to quit over 'delusional' woke rebrand
(3) Customers rip Cracker Barrel for lame apology over controversial rebrand: ‘Kicked Uncle Herschel to the curb’
(4) Dems being advised to cut out ‘woke words’ they tried forcing everyone to use is a rich irony
(5) Cracker Barrel admits they failed with rebrand, vows to include 'Uncle Herschel' on menu, store, road signs
(6) Cracker Barrel worked closely with Human Rights Campaign to be more ‘inclusive’
(7) 12 Signs Cracker Barrel Isn't Doing So Well
(8) CEO Plotted Woke Annihilation of Cracker Barrel for Over a Year
(9) Cracker Barrel just did the dumbest thing possible…
(10) Cracker Barrel’s CEO dismissed warnings from a top investor who called the rebranding ‘obvious folly’
(11) Disaster Capitalism: Money Made from Misery
(12) Cracker Barrel to go back to old logo after backlash
(13) Cracker Barrel takes down Pride page after backlash
(14) Cracker Barrel’s Founder Has Some Strong Words For the Woke CEO Trying to Rebrand His Old Country Store
(15) "Bud Light" Moment Hits Cracker Barrel: Stock Crushed, Traffic Slides, Guidance Slashed
Subscribe For More