Cracker Barrel coughed up a lame apology on social media over its controversial revamp — and got slammed by customers in response, with one griping that the restaurant’s beloved “Uncle Herschel” mascot had been “kicked to the curb.”
The chain has ditched its old-timey decor in favor of white paint, fewer tchotchkes and brighter lighting — and has likewise scrubbed mainstays from its logo, including Uncle Herschel, a folksy farmer wearing overalls which had been part of the design since 1977.
Wall Street’s concerns over the rebrand — which has been ripped by longtime critics as soulless and “woke” — have sent the stock plummeting 17% over the past month.
“While our logo and remodels may be making headlines, our bigger focus is still right where it belongs … in the kitchen and on your plate,” Cracker Barrel insisted in a Monday statement that was posted on Instagram and Facebook.
“We know we won’t always get everything right the first time, but we’ll keep testing, learning and listening to our guests and employees,” the Tennessee-based company added.
In response, fed-up customers gave Cracker Barrel an earful.
“You kicked Uncle Herschel to the curb. Now you are paying the price. Own it and stop making excuses,” an Instagram user commented.
“Eating Sunday Supper in a place that looks like a car dealership does not say vintage Americana.”
Another user chimed in: “The biggest insult to your customers is acting like you hear them but doing the complete opposite”
Said a third: “I seriously don’t know what the purpose of this post was because you make it very clear that you have heard each of us, and you don’t care. Great choice in leadership right there.”
Yet another suggested: “Maybe someone can open a new chain, call it Uncle Hershell’s (sic), and decorate it the way Cracker Barrel was, with a gift shop, and everybody will flock there and Cracker Barell (sic) will go under!”
The company attempted to assuage outraged customers, saying it will keep the rocking chairs on its porches, fireplaces, peg games at tables, knickknacks in gift shops and antiques around the restaurant.
Last week, Cracker Barrel announced that Uncle Herschel’s Favorite — a breakfast platter including two eggs and your choice of ham, fried catfish fillet, crispy chicken tenders or a New York strip steak — would return in the fall after the longtime menu staple was scrapped in 2022.
Customers weren’t impressed.
“Uncle Herschel would have shown you to the door,” one fumed on Monday.
“The restaurant is failing because YOUR FOOD QUALITY and SERVICE HAS SLIPPED HUGELY! Logo rebranding and tons of white paint are not going to fix that. Get rid of the SYSCO truck that pulls in with all that processed food and start cooking for real!”
Another blasted the apology as a lesson in “How to write ‘We don’t care what you think’ in 14 paragraphs and make it sound sweet.”
Cracker Barrel – which faced blowback two years ago when it swapped out some wooden rockers with rainbow ones to celebrate Pride – announced its plans to remodel restaurants last summer.
That came after CEO Julie Felss Masino admitted the chain is “just not as relevant” as it used to be.
It started the $700 million transformation process across its more than 660 restaurants in May.
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