In the aerial view, a cracker barrel sign appears on a sign outside a restaurant in Florida, Florida on August 27, 2025.
Joe Raedle | Getty Images
Cracker Barrel Old Country Store On Wednesday, the restaurant chain said it was focusing on improving the guest experience after facing a fierce backlash that attempted to rebrand earlier this summer.
The company reported a mix of fourth quarter revenues on Wednesday afternoon, with CEO Julie Mayno saying the company is “optimistic” about its future as it heads for next year.
The shares sank about 10% in after-hours trading.
Based on an analyst survey by LSEG, here is how the company performed compared to what Wall Street had expected:
Earnings per share: 74 cents adjusted vs 80 cents forecast: $868 million vs 855 million
Masino said it is grateful to customers who have expressed their “passion for cracker barrels in recent weeks” and that the company is grateful that it is currently switching its focus.
“We have conducted extensive research to inform our strategic plans, but what we don’t see in the data is how much our guests see themselves and their stories in the cracker barrel experience.
The company now focuses on innovation in the kitchen and “areas that improve the guest experience,” and said the team is aiming to return to a “positive trajectory.”
Still, Cracker Barrel said it expects gross revenues of between $3.35 billion and $3.45 billion compared to the expected $3.52 billion analyst and a 4% to 7% decline in traffic at the same store.
The company faced a backlash last month after unveiling the complete brand, including a logo redesign and restaurant remodeling.
The new logo discarded the image of a man sitting on a wooden chair leaning against the barrel, moving instead to a simpler black and yellow logo with only a “cracker barrel” without the “old country store”. This was the company’s latest move in “strategic transformation” announced in May 2024.
The restaurant was also scheduled to undergo remodeling to match its new vision.
However, the brand was under intense scrutiny. Social media users called it “soulless” and “generic,” while conservatives used social media site X to argue that the logo change was an attempt to remove the brand’s American identity to meet diversity, equity and inclusive efforts. Stocks have been sunk after the changes.
Old and new logos for cracker barrels.
Courtesy: Cracker Barrel
Cracker Barrel responded to criticism, saying the company “we were able to do a better job of who we are and who we are.” The chain said Uncle Herschel, the man with the original logo, will still be featured on the menu and part of the cracker barrel “Family.”
President Donald Trump put a lot of emphasis on the situation by saying that Cracker Barrel should “go back to his old logo, admit mistakes based on customer responses (the ultimate poll) and take control of the company more than ever before.”
On the same day, the company announced a spectacular turnaround, shutting down the brand and maintaining its original branding.
“We thank our guests for sharing your voice and love for cracker barrels. We said we’ll listen.
Masino said Wednesday that it called for four locations of modern design to be returned to the traditional “old timer” sign.
“That’s why our team is quickly returning to the ‘Old Timer’ logo and already started implementing new marketing, advertising and social media initiatives brought to Uncle Herschel and Nostalgia.
She added that the company launched “front pouch feedback” on Thursday, building what cracker barrels have received in recent weeks. The new tool will allow reward members to comment directly to team members on every visit, Masino said.
The company has also announced that it will halt all restaurant modifications.
The company’s shares rose after the reversal, primarily recovering losses. Since its first announcement, Cracker Barrel has lost and regained a market value of nearly $100 million.
“Cracker barrels are not old country stores or restaurants,” Messino said. “It’s an American front pouch and we take it very seriously.”
Correction: This story has been updated to reflect the adjustments in earnings per share.
