The popular restaurant chain announced that David Deno, the former CEO of Bloomin’ Brands \u2014 the parent company of Outback Steakhouse<\/a> \u2014 will succeed Felss Masino.<\/p>\n \u201cCracker Barrel is a truly iconic American brand, defined by its unique combination of warm country hospitality, timeless appeal, and deep connection with guests across generations,\u201d Deno said in a news release. \u201cI am honored to lead the Cracker Barrel team and look forward to unlocking the full potential of this remarkable brand.\u201d<\/p>\n The leadership change follows a $700 million rebranding effort last year that modernized some restaurants and culminated on August 19 with the unveiling of a new logo. The redesign replaced the longtime \u201cOld Timer\u201d figure leaning on a barrel with a pared-down look featuring only the company\u2019s name.<\/p>\n The update sparked a wave of backlash from prominent MAGA figures<\/a>, who accused the company of going \u201cwoke\u201d and abandoning a nostalgic symbol in favor of a more sterile logo.<\/p>\n Rep. Byron Donalds<\/a>, a Florida Republican, wrote on X, \u201cTheir logo was iconic and their unique restaurants were a fixture of American culture. No one asked for this woke rebrand. It\u2019s time to Make Cracker Barrel Great Again.\u201d<\/p>\n Even President Donald Trump weighed in, writing on Truth Social on August 25: \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 The White House, echoing the president\u2019s remarks, wrote on X: \u2018Go woke, go broke.\u2019<\/p>\n The controversy drove a sharp drop in the company\u2019s stock, erasing $94 million in market value in one day<\/a>.<\/p>\n On August 26, the company, headquartered in Tennessee, announced it would revert back to the old logo<\/a>.<\/p>\n \u201cWe thank our guests for sharing your voices and love for Cracker Barrel,\u201d the company said in a statement. \u201cWe said we would listen, and we have. Our new logo is going away and our \u2018Old Timer\u2019 will remain.\u2019<\/p>\n Trump praised the decision, writing on Truth Social: “All of your fans very much appreciate it,\u201d and shares of the restaurant operator rose after the reversal was announced.<\/p>\n Felss Masino said in October that the short-lived rebrand was supposed to be functional, not ideological. She believed the new logo would be easier to see on billboards<\/a>, according to The Wall Street Journal.<\/p>\n The company, which later nixed plans to remodel 660 restaurants<\/a>, appears to have weathered the storm successfully. Last month, it reported third-quarter profit of $42.8 million, up from $12.6 million a year earlier, according to the Journal<\/a>.<\/p>\n![\"Cracker](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/SEI271223593.jpg\")
Cracker Barrel said that CEO Julie Felss Masino will step down after a turbulent year marked by a controversial rebranding effort that drew backlash from President Trump (REUTERS)<\/p>\n![\"The](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/Cracker_Barrel_New_Logo_83380.jpg\"){kind=logo}
The new logo, unveiled on August 19, did not include the iconic \u2018Old Timer\u2019 leaning over a barrel (Copyright 2025 The Associated Press. All rights reserved)<\/p>\n
![\"The](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/GettyImages-2232416742.jpeg\")
The company announced it would revert back to the old logo on August 26. \u2018We said we would listen, and we have,\u2019 Cracker Barrel said in a statement (Getty)<\/p>\n