Cracker Barrel CEO Julie Masino will step down on August 10 following a year-long ordeal with unhappy customers and shareholders after an ill-fated decision to rebrand the restaurant chain. Ms. Masino will be succeeded in her position by David Deno, the former CEO of Bloomin’ Brands. In addition, she will continue to serve as an advisor to the firm until October 9 to facilitate the transition process.
Key highlights
Leadership Transition: Julie Masino resigns as CEO of Cracker Barrel on August 10, and David Deno takes over her position.
The Catalyst: The $700 million brand overhaul, which included removing “Uncle Herschel” (the “Old-Timer”) from the logo and redesigning stores, faced withering criticism on social media.
Public and Political Reactions: The backlash resulted in an initial traffic decline and significant revenues loss fueled by social media discussions and negative comments from prominent personalities like Donald Trump.
Quick Reversal: Cracker Barrel reversed course a few days later, reinstating the previous logo and design, but the firm’s financial performance continued to be challenged.
Timeline of the ordeal
Date Event
July 2023 Julie Masino becomes the CEO of Cracker Barrel after serving as the chief executive officer of Taco Bell’s international division.
August 2025 Cracker Barrel unveils a new minimalist logo, which does away with “Old-Timer,” and announces plans to renovate its eateries.
Late August 2025 The restaurant chain faces withering criticism on social media, with some condemning the decision as “woke” and “un-American” and criticizing the “loss of soul.” Don “Papa” Trump also criticizes the move, which adds fuel to the fire.
September 2025 Cracker Barrel reverses its decision and restores the Old-Timer logo, adoptions traditional décor in its restaurants, and apologizes to its customers.
July 2026 Cracker Barrel announces Julie Masino’s resignation and names David Deno as her successor.
Background to the Logo Debacle
Masino decided to revamp the restaurant chain’s image in order to draw in younger customers while also being able to identify each establishment from a distance, given the increased number of road travelers. The new logo, which was unveiled in August, was minimalist and modernized the 55-year-old brand, with fewer colors and sans the “Old-Timer” figure of Dan Evins leaning over a barrel. In addition, the firm announced that it would redesign its restaurants and update its menu.
As expected, the decision was met with criticism from loyal customers, who accused the chain of “withering its soul,” and prominent personalities such as Donald Trump, who criticized the decision and called for it to apologize and reverse the decision, noting that it had “made a big mistake.” In addition, several social media users criticized the decision, labelling it “woke” and “un-American.”
“Cracker Barrel is a truly iconic American brand, one that offers a unique combination of genuine Southern hospitality and comfort for generations of guests. I’m excited to lead this great company and deliver even more value to its loyal customers,” said David Deno, the new CEO, in a press release. “I believe there is still tremendous opportunity to grow Cracker Barrel while continuing to honor the brand’s heritage and dedication to its guests.”
Although the CEO quickly rescinded the decision, the restaurant was forced to apologize to its customers for causing “annoyance” while also redesigning its restaurants back to their previous state in September 2025. Nonetheless, the firm has struggled to recover from the incident, experiencing a decrease in traffic and revenue as well as criticism from shareholders.
What’s next for Cracker Barrel?
Deno, who succeeds Masino as the CEO of Cracker Barrel, has a wealth of experience in the restaurant industry, having served as the chief executive officer of Outback Steakhouse, Carrabba’s Italian Grill, and other organizations. His primary emphasis will be on rebuilding customer loyalty and reigniting the brand’s growth in same-store sales now that the debacle with the logo is over.
For more details on the situation as well as how the customer responded to the news, see the article below:
Watch this video to learn more about this story on NBC News titled “ Cracker Barrel CEO Resigns After Controversial Logo Change.”
