Last week, in a move that drew ire from both sides of the political sphere, Cracker Barrel unveiled a new, simplified logo. Now the restaurant chain says it’s reverting course after losing roughly $100 million in market value.
The “new logo is going away,” Cracker Barrel confirmed to USA TODAY in an Aug. 26 statement, indicating that it would go back to its “Old Timer,” which depicts a man called “Uncle Herschel” sitting in a chair with his arm resting on a barrel.
News of the reversal prompted Cracker Barrel’s stocks to rebound, rising about 7% on Wednesday and a congratulatory statement from President Donald Trump.
“Congratulations ‘Cracker Barrel’ on changing your logo back to what it was. All of your fans very much appreciate it. Good luck into the future. Make lots of money and, most importantly, make your customers happy again!,” Trump posted on Truth Tuesday night.
If you’re having trouble keeping up with the back and forth, here’s a quick timeline that outlines how the Cracker Barrel logo fiasco occurred.
When did Cracker Barrel change its logo?
Cracker Barrel announced that it was replacing its iconic logo, which has been used in variations since 1977, with a simplified logo on Aug. 19. The announcement coincided with the launch of its fall menu campaign called “All The More.”
The new logo altered the color palette slightly, keeping the company’s signature gold but swapping brown for black, and removing Uncle Herschel and the barrel.
The online backlash was swift. Conservatives were convinced that Cracker Barrel was making a political statement by removing Uncle Herschel. Others felt that the new logo sucked the character and nostalgia away from the brand.
“This was a stupid rebrand to begin with.,” wrote one Reddit user. “When your brand is 90% people with nostalgia for driving across the country as kids or going to grandmas house, you don’t change your entire look to the most sterile generic look.”
Trump chimed in hours before the company announced that it was reverting to its old logo.
“Cracker 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,” Trump wrote on Truth.
Cracker Barrel stock starts to rebound after reverting to its ‘Old Timer’ logo
The stock market’s reaction to Cracker Barrel’s logo change was a bit more delayed. After the news went mainstream on Aug. 20, the restaurant chain’s shares fell nearly $10 in a single day.
Cracker Barrel shares were valued at $59.02 when the market closed on Aug. 20, but dropped to $50.76 by midday on Aug. 21. Its shares slightly recovered to $54.80 when the market closed.
The chain’s shares have since risen to $62.71, as of Wednesday morning, and are still climbing.
Cracker Barrel scraps its new logo
Hours after Trump’s post, Cracker Barrel said in a statement to USA TODAY that it is dropping its much-criticized new logo and returning to the “Old Timer.”
“We thank our guests for sharing your voices and love for Cracker Barrel. We said we would listen, and we have,” the statement said. “Our new logo is going away and our ‘Old Timer’ will remain.”
Customers commended the decision on social media, with some also calling on the chain to also reverse course on renovation plans.
“Thank you! Please don’t change the decor. If it has been changed, please bring it back. Just concentrate on improving the quality of the food and rewarding your employees. It’s like going to grandma’s, and we need that comfort these days,” one person wrote on Cracker Barrel’s Instagram.
Contributing: Melina Khan, USA TODAY Network
This article originally appeared on Pensacola News Journal: Welcome back, Uncle Herschel: Cracker Barrel reverts to its old logo
Reporting by Brandon Girod, Pensacola News Journal / Pensacola News Journal
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
