“Cracker Barrel is nostalgia for many, especially customers in the South and Midwest who feel ownership and pride over the brand,” Williams told Fortune. “For a brand that hasn’t changed its logo since 1977, even small changes to a symbol so tied to Americana can feel magnified.”

For America's big brands, there is little profit in the culture wars: It is simply too easy to lose customers by taking sides in the country's political debates. But as Cracker Barrel is finding out, sometimes those clashes cannot be avoided.

Restaurant chain accused of going ‘woke’ and ‘scrapping a beloved American aesthetic’ by simplifying branding to remove folksy southern character from its signage

A Cracker Barrel sign featuring the old logo hangs on the outside of a restaurant on August 21, 2025 in Homestead, Florida. The restaurant u

Conservative activist Robby Starbuck criticized Cracker Barrel's rebranding efforts and corporate policies, claiming the chain is rejecting its traditional customer base.

Cracker Barrel’s new logo change has sparked a firestorm on social media, particularly among MAGA supporters who are slamming the redesign. When the Southern country-themed […] ‘Absolutely Horrible’: