Cracker Barrel is an American restaurant chain with 650 locations nationwide. In recent days, Cracker Barrel has received backlash for turning its iconic logo into a minimalistic logo.
Cracker Barrel’s disapproval was made apparent when Tommy Lowe, the co-founder of Cracker Barrel, showed his disappointment, saying that the new CEO is throwing out the company’s money.
Most backlash toward Cracker Barrel comes from the republicans, suggesting that the change was made as a woke rebrand.
Higher-ups inside the Cracker Barrel company state that the new rebrand was made because of low customer traffic. Comparing Cracker Barrel customer traffic before the Covid-19 pandemic, it has decreased by 16%.
Many reasons can be attributed to the slow decrease in customers. Many customers noticed the change in food quality since the pandemic.
Jennifer Amaya, a Los Altos Alumni said ‘’Cracker Barrel was more creative in the past, and there was no reason to change the logo’’.
With the Cracker Barrel change in logo, it has invited politicians’ opinions. Donald Trump, the president, believes that Cracker Barrel should revert to its old logo and listen to the consumers.
Congressman Byron Donalds from Florida shared his opinion on the matter, saying that Cracker Barrel is becoming a woke rebrand.
Democrats have also voiced their opinions on the matter, comparing Cracker Barrel’s new rebrand to Trump’s new beautiful bill.
Trump’s new beautiful bill includes controversial topics like budget cuts, resources, and the national debt.
Juana Te Chub, a sophomore said ‘’A logo rebrand should be about business, not politics. When politicians step in, it only creates more divisions.’’
Cracker Barrel did revert to its original logo, but it has still received backlash for its quality of food, customers receiving incorrect orders, and poor service.
While Cracker Barrel receives backlash, multiple competitors of the brand, like IHOP, continue to have success in the American market. IHOP, in particular, has averaged around 40 new stores each year.
Comparing Cracker Barrel and IHOP, there is a huge difference in customers. Just last year, Cracker Barrel had to close its doors in multiple states. Closing two in Santa Maria and Sacramento, California’s state capital.
With Cracker Barrel’s backflash and closure of multiple stores, there’s a lesson to be learned. Cracker Barrel’s collapse shows the importance of keeping the authenticity of one’s company.
An example of a restaurant keeping its origins is Panda Express, keeping their story of being immigrants inside the company’s branding.
Customers can also learn a lesson, learning that we are able to voice our opinions and potentially gain the attention of multiple politicians.
Without people voicing their opinions, we are not able to create change in our system. Our system will never be changed if we continue to allow companies to suppress our voices.
Juana Te Chub said ‘’Change is part of growth, and it’s important not to stay stuck in the past. At the same time, companies need to be ready for mixed reactions.’’
