The Southern-style restaurant announced Wednesday that it is changing its logo — removing the old man and carefully sketched barrel, as well as the whipping “K” flourish over the restaurant’s name.
“We believe in the goodness of country hospitality, a spirit that has always defined us. Our story hasn’t changed,” the company’s chief marketing officer, Sarah Moore, said in a statement.
Customers and social media users had a different response, however. Some on social media contemplated the sterile aesthetic of the newly remodeled Cracker Barrel dining rooms, even though the eateries aren’t home-sprung businesses.
The company also saw its shares dip 10 percent amid the rollout Thursday.
Other fast-casual chains have joined in on the ribbing, including Steak n’ Shake, which embodies its own 1950s aesthetic.
The name “Cracker Barrel” was initially derived as an homage to people in the South who gathered to play cards and other table games around barrels, which were used to transport items that could be crushed in delivery, like edible crackers.
“Cracker” has also been used as a derogatory euphemism for white people, creating fodder for a younger generation as Cracker Barrel faces its new hurdles.
The Hill’s Elizabeth Crisp has more here.
