US restaurant chain previously said it would keep new logo despite some, including Trump and his son, criticizing it<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Cracker Barrel, the 56-year-old US restaurant chain known for southern style cooking, has reversed course and will scrap the new minimalist logo it launched just days ago after intense backlash.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cWe thank our guests for sharing your voices and love for Cracker Barrel. We said we would listen, and we have. Our new logo is going away and our \u2018Old Timer\u2019 will remain,\u201d the company posted on social media<\/a>, referring to the picture of the overall-clad man \u2013 known as \u201cUncle Herschel\u201d \u2013 leaning against a barrel that had been its calling card for decades.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cAt Cracker Barrel, it\u2019s always been \u2013 and always will be \u2013 about serving up delicious food, warm welcomes, and the kind of country hospitality that feels like family. As a proud American institution, our 70,000 hardworking employees look forward to welcoming you to our table soon.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n The White House applauded the about face on Tuesday evening. \u201cCongratulations Cracker Barrel on changing your logo back to what it was. All of your fans very much appreciate it. Good luck into the future. Make lots of money and, most importantly, make your customers happy again!\u201d Donald Trump posted on social media<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cPresident Trump has unmatched business instincts, and an uncanny ability to understand what the American people want. Cracker Barrel is a great American company, and they made a great decision to Trust in Trump!\u201d said press secretary Karoline Leavitt in a statement.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Earlier on Tuesday, the company had apologized<\/a> to fans who were angered with the new logo but had stood firm in its decision to make a change.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cIf the last few days have shown us anything, it\u2019s how deeply people care about Cracker Barrel. We\u2019re truly grateful for your heartfelt voices,\u201d the company said Monday in a statement on its website. \u201cYou\u2019ve also shown us that we could have done a better job sharing who we are and who we\u2019ll always be.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Cracker Barrel had taken heat in recent days<\/a> when it announced a simplified logo featuring only the chain\u2019s name. Gone was the picture of an older man in overalls leaning against a barrel. The words \u201cOld Country Store\u201d were also removed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The change was part of a wider rebrand, which has seen Cracker Barrel update its cluttered, antique-filled restaurants with lighter paint and modern furniture.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Many on social media, including Trump and the president\u2019s son Donald Trump Jr<\/a>, criticized the new logo, with some threatening to boycott unless it was changed back.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cCracker Barrel should go back to the old logo, admit a mistake based on customer response (the ultimate Poll), and manage the company better than ever before,\u201d Trump wrote on Tuesday on social media. \u201cThey got a Billion Dollars worth of free publicity if they play their cards right. Very tricky to do, but a great opportunity. Have a major News Conference today. Make Cracker Barrel a WINNER again.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Sensing an opening, the rival chain Steak n\u2019 Shake called the new logo \u201ca cheap effort to gain the approval of trend seekers\u201d.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cHeritage is what got Cracker Barrel this far, and now the CEO wants to just scrape it all away,\u201d Steak n\u2019 Shake said in a statement on X.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Cracker Barrel shares have dropped more than 10% since the new logo was introduced on 18 August.<\/p>\n\n\n\n On Monday, the Lebanon, Tennessee-based company emphasized that many things about Cracker Barrel won\u2019t change, including the rocking chairs on its front porches as well as the vintage Americana and antiques scattered throughout its restaurants.<\/p>\n\n\n\n But Cracker Barrel said it also wants to make sure that the business stays fresh and attracts a new generation of customers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cThat means showing up on new platforms and in new ways, but always with our heritage at the heart,\u201d the company said in a statement.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The company said it will also keep testing, learning and listening to its employees and customers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The chain\u2019s brief change in logo is the most recent in a series of dustups where an unexpected response has blindsided retail chains.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Anheuser-Busch\u2019s Bud Light sales slumped after it sent a can of Bud Light to a transgender influencer in 2023, and this summer, an American Eagle Outfitters ad campaign featuring actress Sydney Sweeney sparked backlash<\/a> for the ad\u2019s use of the phrase \u201cgood jeans\u201d as a play on genetics.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Cracker Barrel\u2019s shares slumped after the backlash last week, wiping out year-to-date gains, but were up 7% in extended trading on Tuesday after the company, with a market value of $1.29bn, scrapped the new logo.<\/p>\n\n\n\n