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Weeks after abandoning its plans to ax the infamous Uncle Herschel from its iconic logo, the southern restaurant chain Cracker Barrel announced Tuesday that it is not moving forward with the sterile redesign of its dining rooms nationwide.
And Uncle Herschel is not going away, either.
Cracker Barrel is learning a few lessons from its misguided decision to become something it was never meant to be.
Lessons learned.
Be informed, not misled.
On August 26, ABC News reported, "Cracker Barrel said Tuesday it will be going back to its old logo, amid a public backlash to the restaurant and country store's recent logo change and redesign."
Cracker Barrel said, "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, the company said in a statement, referring to the classic illustration of a man, known as Uncle Herschel."
"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 statement continued.
ABC said, "The announcement comes after mounting controversy surrounding the new logo, which had foregone the illustration of Uncle Hershel in favor of a simplified text-only logo."
Even President Donald Trump weighed in, arguing the company should bring back the old logo and stop trying to be something the Cracker Barrel never was.
But it was about much more than the logo.
First, there were the stockholders.
The Daily Caller reported Tuesday that Cracker Barrel announced a full retreat, suspending all restaurant remodeling after continued backlash against the company’s rebranding efforts.
The Caller said, "The restaurant chain caved in late August over its modernized and minimalist logo, which ditched the detailed original logo along with its trademark 'old timer' Uncle Herschel. In the statement, Cracker Barrel announced it was fully retreating from its plans to remodel the interior of restaurants and that it had only redesigned four of 660 locations."
CBS News reported, "Soon after the announcement, reports indicated that the company lost almost $100 million in market value, falling $4.22, or 7.2%, to $54.80 in Thursday’s trading, according to CBS News. Additionally, the company received immense scrutiny online, with users calling out how the logo change had been unnecessary."
Then came Cracker Barrel's 93-year-old co-founder.
Cracker Barrel co-founder Tommy Lowe also voiced his discontent with the company's logo change and new direction.
He also voiced his discontent with the direction the new CEO, Julie Felss Masino, is trying to take the company.
The 93-year-old businessman described the change as "crazy," a "bland nothing," and "pitiful" during an interview with a local Nashville news station.
"It was just a country store for country people, and that's what it is today. They just don't understand", Lowe said, while criticizing the current leadership's disconnect with the brand's traditional image."
So what would this have to do with me? I don't eat at Cracker Barrel.
"Cracker Barrel’s Retreat Proves The Right Has Cultural Power If They’re Willing To Use It"
The Federalist published an article noting that "Conservatives hold more cultural power than they may realize. The question is: Will they continue to use it?"
"Behind the backlash to the restaurant chain’s now-canceled redesign was about much more than mere dissatisfaction with the new logo and rebranding," the Federalist says. "The deeper issue was the company’s embrace of neo-Marxist ideologies and abandonment of the hallmark Americana vibe that’s defined it for generations."
But unlike some other past cultural flashpoints, the right refused to accept this situation lying down. Instead, they galvanized and directed their outcry in a targeted and coherent way that put the pressure on Cracker Barrel to cave.
The company has also reportedly scrubbed the DEI and LGBT “pride” sections from its website.
Shawn Fleetwood writes in his Federalist article, "Contrary to popular belief among the woke scolds running corporate America’s HR departments, the radical gender and race politics being shoehorned into every facet of modern culture are not normal. Nor should Americans be forced to pretend that they are."
"These destructive ideologies are anti-American, reality-challenged propaganda, and conservatives shouldn’t be afraid to say so," he says.
Takeaway
The key takeaway from all of this, he says, is that "when everyday Americans speak as one voice against the insane, left-wing takeover of the country’s major institutions, they can win. With continued focus and dedication, they can ensure Cracker Barrel will be one of many dominoes to fall out of lockstep with the left’s identity-obsessed worldview."
Be Informed. Be Discerning. Be Vigilant. Be Bold. Be Prayerful.
