# Cracker Barrel changes logo and stock declines **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [August 21, 2025, 9:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cracker-barrel-changes-logo-and-stock-declines/1022371 "2025-08-21T21:06:31Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 13
**Author:** ![Maserschmidt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/maserschmidt/32/18829_2.png) [@Maserschmidt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Maserschmidt)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2025, 10:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cracker-barrel-changes-logo-and-stock-declines/1022371/241 "2025-08-28T22:06:33Z")
My favorite part of all that is Pepsi celebrating New Coke’s arrival with full-page ads mocking Coca-Cola, and giving their own employees a paid day off. ---
**Author:** ![Dag\_Otto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/439d5e/32.png) [@Dag\_Otto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dag_Otto)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2025, 10:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cracker-barrel-changes-logo-and-stock-declines/1022371/242 "2025-08-28T22:18:08Z")
Of course, if expanding the customer base is difficult, another path to profitability is to raise prices. I wonder if customers will accept increased prices if it is couched in terms of fighting wokeness or some other claptrap idea? A conservative customer base might ~~fall for~~ accept it. ---
**Author:** ![Darren\_Garrison](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/darren_garrison/32/92_2.png) [@Darren\_Garrison](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darren_Garrison)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2025, 11:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cracker-barrel-changes-logo-and-stock-declines/1022371/243 "2025-08-28T23:39:28Z")
> [@kenobi\_65](#): > > And, obviously, they underestimated the possibility of a social-media backlash to the change. Right. The backlash isn’t that they think the new logo is bland, the backlash is that the DEI woke LGBT leftists are trying to erase their White heritage. The problem for Cracker Barrel on the rebrand is that the vocal complainers in their customer base are just simple farmers, people of the land, and the common clay of the new West. ---
**Author:** ![Pork\_Rind](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pork_rind/32/111_2.png) [@Pork\_Rind](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pork_Rind)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2025, 11:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cracker-barrel-changes-logo-and-stock-declines/1022371/244 "2025-08-28T23:49:15Z")
As a guy in the business of claiming and acting upon focus group outputs, and also thinking of my younger self where I was a frequent focus group participant\*, I’m not sure the Cracker Barrel did anything wrong. Or at least didn’t do anything wrong _if times were different._ Just thinking about what I’ve read about their demographics problem, I think a shift to a more young person friendly operation makes a lot of sense. And in different, better times, yeah they would’ve pissed off a lot of their older customers, but I’m sure they did the math that that would be a loss that was smaller than what they would gain in new audience. What I don’t think any marketing consultant, branding wizard, or restaurant tycoon could have possibly imagined is how this would spin into a total political football. A new battlefront in the culture wars. I think that’s what’s new in unique here. Businesses all the time make changes that piss off some of their long-term customers as they chase a new customer base. Rarely do those changes balloon into a full “us versus them” deal with even the president spouting off crazy ass tweets to just pour gas on that fire. I long for saner times. \*sitting in a conference room for an hour to get 20 bucks plus a couple slices of pizza was pretty attractive way to spend an evening back in my days as a poorly paid new graduate. ---
**Author:** ![SCAdian](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/scadian/32/3292_2.png) [@SCAdian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SCAdian)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2025, 11:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cracker-barrel-changes-logo-and-stock-declines/1022371/245 "2025-08-28T23:53:56Z")
> [@Jackmannii](#): > > In August 1991, activists all across the South demonstrated in front of the restaurant chain after announcing they refused to hire anyone who “failed to demonstrate normal heterosexual values.” And how, exactly, were potential employees required to “demonstrate normal heterosexual values”? ---
**Author:** ![Kent\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kent_clark/32/105_2.png) [@Kent\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kent_Clark)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2025, 12:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cracker-barrel-changes-logo-and-stock-declines/1022371/246 "2025-08-29T00:19:19Z")
> [@SCAdian](#): > > And how, exactly, were potential employees required to “demonstrate normal heterosexual values”? In 1991? That would be no visible tattoos, no piercings, no butch haircuts for women, no weird dye jobs for men, and do something about that lisp. ---
**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2025, 1:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cracker-barrel-changes-logo-and-stock-declines/1022371/247 "2025-08-29T01:24:46Z")
No limp wrists or showy shoes. ---
**Author:** ![F.U.Shakespeare](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/aca169/32.png) [@F.U.Shakespeare](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/F.U.Shakespeare)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2025, 3:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cracker-barrel-changes-logo-and-stock-declines/1022371/248 "2025-08-29T03:28:15Z")
I’ve never eaten at a Cracker Barrel voluntarily. I have a relative back in West Virginia who likes the food, so I grudgingly comply when I visit, to keep peace in the family. We ate there two weeks ago. I ordered grilled salmon. The fish was good, but the steamed rice was dry and almost impenetrable. _How difficult is steamed rice?!_ ---
**Author:** ![Odesio](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/odesio/32/20003_2.png) [@Odesio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Odesio)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2025, 5:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cracker-barrel-changes-logo-and-stock-declines/1022371/249 "2025-08-29T05:27:39Z")
> [@F.U.Shakespeare](#): > > We ate there two weeks ago. I ordered grilled salmon. The fish was good, but the steamed rice was dry and almost impenetrable. _How difficult is steamed rice?!_ Who in their right mind orders salmon at a Cracker Barrel? Though now that I think about it it’s just now sinking in that the problem was with the rice not the fish. How in the hell do you screw up steamed rice? ---
**Author:** ![crowmanyclouds](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/crowmanyclouds/32/19884_2.png) [@crowmanyclouds](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/crowmanyclouds)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2025, 5:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cracker-barrel-changes-logo-and-stock-declines/1022371/250 "2025-08-29T05:45:10Z")
> [@F.U.Shakespeare](#): > > How difficult is steamed rice?! ‘Have you ever tried to barbecue or deep fry steamed rice? Also, our supplier doesn’t carry anything from this Steamed company!’ ---
**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2025, 10:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cracker-barrel-changes-logo-and-stock-declines/1022371/251 "2025-08-29T10:54:31Z")
Easy to mess up steamed rice. Make a big cauldron first thing in the morning before opening, sell only a little and 18 hours later what’s still in the hotpot has been desiccated and so has glued itself into a solid mass. ---
**Author:** ![Broomstick](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/broomstick/32/246_2.png) [@Broomstick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Broomstick)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2025, 10:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cracker-barrel-changes-logo-and-stock-declines/1022371/252 "2025-08-29T10:59:03Z")
> [@Pork\_Rind](#): > > What I don’t think any marketing consultant, branding wizard, or restaurant tycoon could have possibly imagined is how this would spin into a total political football. A new battlefront in the culture wars. I think that’s what’s new in unique here. Businesses all the time make changes that piss off some of their long-term customers as they chase a new customer base. Rarely do those changes balloon into a full “us versus them” deal with even the president spouting off crazy ass tweets to just pour gas on that fire. Yes, well, the rural old-timers not wanting Cracker Barrel to change are a big chunk of the ones who voted for our current crazy situation where the PotUS will viciously attack a business for doing something that offends him, or his base, and turn it into a political/cultural flashpoint. Unfortunately for Cracker Barrel, that’s also the demographic of their most loyal customers. The MAGA loyalists don’t care if they make it impossible for a business to survive - they want a combination of “don’t change anything I care about, ever” and “return to a 1950’s that never was”. There was no way Cracker Barrel could have seen this coming on this level. ---
**Author:** ![JRDelirious](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jrdelirious/32/9531_2.png) [@JRDelirious](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JRDelirious)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2025, 11:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cracker-barrel-changes-logo-and-stock-declines/1022371/253 "2025-08-29T11:18:23Z")
> [@Broomstick](#): > > don’t care if they make it impossible for a business to survive - they want a combination of “don’t change anything I care about, ever” and “return to a 1950’s that never was”. And if because of that the business just fails, it will be another “millennials are killing \_\_\_” story to them. While the millennials are going like “what? What did we supposedly do NOW?” ---
**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2025, 11:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cracker-barrel-changes-logo-and-stock-declines/1022371/254 "2025-08-29T11:26:14Z")
> [@Broomstick](#): > > There was no way Cracker Barrel could have seen this coming on this level. I agree with this point. At least looking back a month ago. I also think that looking forward every corporation that is known to consumers now has a new risk to add to their list of potential woes. And therefore a new item on their decision-making checklist before going public with an initiative. Namely: - Doing something which raises the ire of the RW propaganda Rage-o-matic. An indiscriminate and voracious machine which needs something new to rage about every week-ish. The triggered outrage storms tend to be brief but intense. And do leave at least some lasting damage. Much like the Tylenol poisonings, or the Gamestop memestock phenomenon, (or the 9/11 attacks) it was a total surprise. Once. Thereafter, it’s a risk that needs to be managed or it’ll manage you. ---
**Author:** ![Slithy\_Tove](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/slithy_tove/32/18248_2.png) [@Slithy\_Tove](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Slithy_Tove)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2025, 1:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cracker-barrel-changes-logo-and-stock-declines/1022371/255 "2025-08-29T13:40:13Z")
Go full RW pander: replace the old man in the rocker with Jeffrey Epstein hanging from a bunk with a t-shirt ---
**Author:** ![Son\_of\_a\_Rich](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/son_of_a_rich/32/5439_2.png) [@Son\_of\_a\_Rich](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Son_of_a_Rich)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2025, 1:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cracker-barrel-changes-logo-and-stock-declines/1022371/256 "2025-08-29T13:52:56Z")
Or have the guy be wearing the barrel, like in ancient comic strips. ---
**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2025, 2:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cracker-barrel-changes-logo-and-stock-declines/1022371/257 "2025-08-29T14:42:07Z")
Combine the two: make it Epstein hanging while wearing a barrel that’s just a wee bit too short to hide the goods. He seems to have been real bad at keeping his goods put away when alive, so the least we can do is memorialize him the same way. ---
**Author:** ![Q.Q.Switcheroo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/q.q.switcheroo/32/5713_2.png) [@Q.Q.Switcheroo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Q.Q.Switcheroo)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2025, 3:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cracker-barrel-changes-logo-and-stock-declines/1022371/258 "2025-08-29T15:56:54Z")
Especially since the oldest Millennials are in their mid-40s! ---
**Author:** ![SuntanLotion](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/suntanlotion/32/16165_2.png) [@SuntanLotion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SuntanLotion)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2025, 4:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cracker-barrel-changes-logo-and-stock-declines/1022371/259 "2025-08-29T16:57:05Z")
I saw one on X, crack barrel with a pic of Hunter. People just won’t let that go. ---
**Author:** ![Sherrerd](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sherrerd/32/8_2.png) [@Sherrerd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sherrerd)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2025, 10:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cracker-barrel-changes-logo-and-stock-declines/1022371/260 "2025-08-29T22:06:25Z")
To those who replied with information on “family restaurants”–thanks. Interesting. > [@kenobi\_65](#): > > as already noted by @Railer13, Cracker Barrel has recently started offering a limited selection of alcoholic beverages (beer, wine, and some pre-made cocktails). Maybe this is part of the new CEO’s rebranding effort. I’ll note that I haven’t heard of any MAGA folks railing about _this_. (Though perhaps it’s not very widespread in the chain, yet.) As for the logo: > [@Slithy\_Tove](#): > > Go full RW pander: replace the old man in the rocker with Jeffrey Epstein hanging from a bunk with a t-shirt Why not keep the old man, but have him raise that right arm (which is now resting on his leg) into the air, up a few inches and straight out? _That_ might please The Base…. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cracker-barrel-changes-logo-and-stock-declines/1022371.md?page=12) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cracker-barrel-changes-logo-and-stock-declines/1022371.md?page=14)