Uncle Herschel is returning to the Cracker Barrel chair.
After online outrage by conservatives who accused the country-themed restaurant chain of changing its values or going “woke” when it rolled out a new logo, the company said Tuesday that it was returning to its old branding.
“We 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 “Old Timer” will remain,” Cracker Barrel said on Facebook.
“At Cracker Barrel, it’s always been — and always will be — about serving up delicious food, warm welcomes, and the kind of country hospitality that feels like family,” the company said. “As a proud American institution, our 70,000 hardworking employees look forward to welcoming you to our table soon.”
Cracker Barrel, which has restaurants in 43 states, on Aug. 18 announced its new “All the More” campaign and logo change that removed the old man perched on a chair and the barrel from Cracker Barrel signs.
The new logo did not go over well in some spheres, and on social media, conservative critics accused the restaurant chain of abandoning its traditional values or of being “woke.”
President Donald Trump weighed in on the matter earlier Tuesday, writing on his social media platform Truth Social that “Cracker Barrel should go back to the old logo, admit a mistake based on customer response.”
Cracker Barrel on Monday tried to tamp down the controversy by admitting ” we could’ve done a better job sharing who we are and who we’ll always be” and issuing reassurances that its values had not changed.
Other companies have been met with right-wing outrage for advertising or other business decisions, including when Bud Light had a branded content partnership with transgender TikToker Dylan Mulvaney.
Steve Kopack contributed.
