Cracker Barrel is ending its partnership with Prophet, the consulting firm behind its failed rebrand.
The chain faced intense backlash after unveiling a new logo and redesigned stores that longtime fans said stripped away what they loved most about the brand.
Cracker Barrel’s restaurants, long known for their kitschy Americana décor, were recast in a style critics called drab and soulless.
The uproar grew after the company dropped its iconic logo of an elderly man leaning on a barrel.
A March press release said Prophet was hired to redesign Cracker Barrel restaurants and lead a new brand marketing campaign.
At the time, the company said: “In collaboration with Cracker Barrel, they are focused on shaping a new brand vision that will enhance market share while preserving the company’s unique heritage. This new strategy will inform brand communication, restaurant redesigns, brand marketing campaigns and a redefined employee value proposition.”
Separately, Prophet CEO Michael Dunn pledged $4 million in 2020 for the firm’s DEI initiatives, saying the company would “bring in Black team members across every level of the firm,” hire a DEI-specific recruiter and provide $4 million in pro bono work to social justice organizations, according to a 2020 blog post.
Fox News Digital found no evidence that Prophet’s DEI commitments were connected to Cracker Barrel’s rebranding.
In August, the brand unveiled its new logo, which dropped the illustration of a man – “Uncle Herschel” – resting his arm on top of a wooden barrel, a folksy image that has embodied the brand’s Southern hospitality for the last 56 years. Some interpreted the change as an appeal to the woke movement.
The logo change sparked a backlash that wiped over $140 million off the chain’s market value at the height of the crisis as customer outrage and investor unease fueled what became the steepest losing streak in months. Shares are down over 7% year-to-date.
President Donald Trump even weighed in, calling on the chain to return to its roots.
“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 in an Aug. 26 post on Truth Social.
“They got a Billion Dollars worth of free publicity if they play their cards right. Very tricky to do, but a great opportunity. Have a major News Conference today. Make Cracker Barrel a WINNER again,” Trump added.
Later that day, Cracker Barrel reversed its plans.
“We thank our guests for sharing your voices and love for Cracker Barrel. We said we would listen, and we have. Our new logo is going away and our ‘Old Timer’ will remain,” the company posted on X.
In May, Cracker Barrel, beloved for its Southern comfort food, front-porch rocking chairs and gift shop filled with knickknacks and old-fashioned sweets, launched an ambitious overhaul of its 660-plus restaurants – an effort that quickly backfired.
The sweeping makeover included “decluttered” dining rooms, a revamped menu and other changes aimed at updating a brand long rooted in nostalgia.
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