Cracker Barrel is ending its partnership with the San Francisco-based consulting firm behind the beloved restaurant chain’s rebrand, an unmitigated catastrophe that will be taught in business schools for decades as a cautionary lesson.
Long known for its down-home country style vittles, rustic decor and family-friendly dining atmosphere, the chain inexplicably chose to break what was working by overhauling restaurants to instead feature a soulless modern look and banishing “Uncle Herschel,” an elderly man resting his arm on a barrel, from its logo. These moves sparked a customer backlash and may have done permanent damage to a brand that had endured for 55 years.
On Thursday, Cracker Barrel Old Country Store Inc. said that it would no longer be working with Prophet, the consulting and marketing firm that it brought in to engineer the failed “refresh,” which was a part of a “three-year strategic plan to update its brand,” The Wall Street Journal reported.
The family-dining chain said Thursday that it ended its contract with Prophet, a global marketing firm Cracker Barrel hired last year as part of a three-year strategic plan to update its brand https://t.co/9iECp8Kr3X
— WSJ Business News (@WSJbusiness) October 2, 2025
“Since 1969, Cracker Barrel has greeted guests with a warm welcome and craveable food, but as guest expectations evolve, we’re embarking on an exciting journey to refresh our brand,” Cracker Barrel Chief Marketing Officer Sarah Moore said in a March press release announcing the partnership.
“This is a beloved brand with strong emotional ties, so it was paramount that we selected the right expertise to help us define our evolved identity,” Moore added. “This collaborative team plays a key role working with our internal team to craft the next chapter of our brand story—one that resonates with loyal guests while welcoming new ones to our table.”
“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,” the press release said of the firm.
“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 Business reported, being careful to note that Fox News Digital “had found no evidence that Prophet’s DEI commitments were connected to Cracker Barrel’s rebranding.”
“Prophet declined to comment. Cracker Barrel declined to comment further,” according to the WSJ. Not that any further comment is necessary, the costly dumpster fire that alienated longtime customers speaks for itself.
The brand “refresh” blew up when angry customers took to social media to share complaints about the new decor, vowing not to return. The botched overhaul even got the attention of President Donald J. Trump, a man who knows a thing or two about running a successful business.
“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,” the president wrote in an August post to 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,” Trump advised, adding, it’s time to “Make Cracker Barrel a WINNER again.”
The Tennessee-based company was apparently listening and acknowledged its mistake.
“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,” Cracker Barrel said in an August 26 post to X.
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.
At Cracker Barrel, it’s always been – and always will be – about serving up delicious food, warm… pic.twitter.com/C32QMLOeq0
— Cracker Barrel (@CrackerBarrel) August 26, 2025
“At Cracker Barrel, it’s always been – and always will be – about serving up delicious food, warm welcomes, and the kind of country hospitality that feels like family. As a proud American institution, our 70,000 hardworking employees look forward to welcoming you to our table soon,” the company added.
The big lesson to take away? If it isn’t broke, don’t try to fix it. And if you do, stay the hell away from “woke” consultants.
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