Cracker Barrel’s Founder Has Some Strong Words For the Woke CEO Trying to Rebrand His Old Country Store
Cracker Barrel co-founder Tommy Lowe didn’t hold back when reacting to recent changes at the restaurant chain he helped build. The 93-year-old expressed strong disapproval over a rebranding effort led by CEO Julie Felss Masino, which included a controversial new logo and interior redesign.
Last week, Masino appeared on Good Morning America, where she claimed the updated logo and modernized restaurant look were receiving “overwhelmingly positive” feedback. However, public reaction told a different story. Critics said the new design stripped away Cracker Barrel’s classic charm, replacing it with a colder, more sterile atmosphere.
The most notable change: the removal of the iconic “Old Timer” — the image of an elderly man leaning against a barrel — from the logo. The move triggered widespread backlash and reportedly contributed to a drop of more than $100 million in the company’s market value.
Cracker Barrel’s 93-year-old founder has some strong words for the CEO trying to rebrand and modernize… pic.twitter.com/hHoGl8b4B5
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By Tuesday, Cracker Barrel announced it would reverse course, bringing back the original logo after hearing from upset customers.
Speaking with NewsChannel5’s Carrie Sharp, Lowe called the new branding “bland” and “pitiful.” He questioned whether Masino truly understood the brand’s history and essence.
“They’re trying to modernize to be like the competition — Cracker Barrel doesn’t have any competition,” Lowe said. “I heard she was at Taco Bell. What’s Taco Bell know about Cracker Barrel and country food?”
Lowe urged leadership to refocus on what made the restaurant a success: its food, service, and old-fashioned atmosphere. “They need to work on the food and service and leave the barrel — the logo — alone,” he said.
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