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Cracker Barrel CEO Julie Masino to step down after logo backlash
Cracker Barrel said David Deno will start as CEO on 10 August, and the company’s shares fell nearly 3% after Masino’s departure was announced.
Cracker Barrel announced that CEO Julie Felss Masino is stepping down, following nearly a year of backlash tied to the chain’s decision to modernize its logo. The criticism intensified after the updated design removed Uncle Herschel, the overall-clad man from the original branding, and critics on social media denounced the changes as “woke” and “sterile and soulless,” the Guardian Business reported.
The controversy also drew political attention soon after the logo update. The Guardian Business said Donald Trump weighed in on the changes by posting a reaction on social media and urging the company to “admit a mistake,” after which Cracker Barrel said it would revert to its previous logo.
Masino, who has led the chain since 2023, previously told rightwing commentator Glenn Beck in December that she felt “fired by America” after the controversy, according to the Guardian Business. The outlet also reported that Cracker Barrel’s stock dropped nearly 3% after the company disclosed Masino’s departure.
The restaurant chain said its new CEO, David Deno, will take over on 10 August, and Masino will remain until October to support the transition. In a statement, Deno described Cracker Barrel as an “iconic American brand” with hospitality and a long connection to guests, the Guardian Business reported.