Julie Masino is stepping down as CEO of Cracker Barrel, the Tennessee-based restaurant chain announced Monday, roughly a year after a branding controversy thrust the company into the center of a culture war debate.
The upheaval began last August when Cracker Barrel unveiled a modernized logo that removed Uncle Herschel, the overall-wearing figure featured in the chain's original branding. The change immediately triggered backlash on social media, with critics calling the company "woke" and accusing it of stripping away the restaurant's rustic identity. Donald Trump joined the fray, posting on social media: "WTF is wrong with Cracker Barrel?!" and urging the company to "admit a mistake."
Cracker Barrel reversed course within days, announcing it would restore the original logo. But the damage to leadership had been done. Masino, who became CEO in 2023, told rightwing commentator Glenn Beck in December that she felt "fired by America" following the controversy.
Masino will remain with the company through October to ensure a smooth transition. David Deno will assume the CEO role on August 10. In a statement, Deno described Cracker Barrel as "a truly iconic American brand, defined by its unique combination of warm country hospitality, timeless appeal, and deep connection with guests across generations."
The stock market reflected the leadership shift, with Cracker Barrel's share price dropping nearly 3 percent following the announcement.
The CEO departure is the latest casualty in the ongoing pattern of social media-driven boycotts targeting corporations over political messaging. A Harris Poll from last year found that one in four Americans have changed their shopping habits to align with their personal values, with half of Democrats and 41 percent of Republicans reporting they've stopped patronizing stores that conflict with their views.
Several major brands have already felt the financial impact. Target and Bud Light both reported significant sales declines in 2023 after the retailer launched a pride month collection and the beer company aired an advertisement featuring a transgender influencer, respectively. Conversely, Target later pulled its sponsorship of Minneapolis's pride festival after abandoning its diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives, drawing pushback from the other side of the political spectrum.
The boycott phenomenon has not proven universally effective. Christopher Nolan's The Odyssey achieved strong global box office returns despite criticism from Elon Musk and others who characterized its casting as part of a "woke" agenda.
Cracker Barrel itself has a documented history of discrimination. In 1991, the chain barred the hiring of LGBTQ+ workers and terminated 11 employees before reversing the policy. Thirteen years later, the company settled discrimination claims for $8.7 million after Black customers alleged they were denied service and Black employees reported being assigned disproportionately to back-of-house positions compared to white staff members.
Author James Rodriguez: "Masino's exit shows how quickly boardrooms fold when social media decides to make an example of you, but it's worth asking whether a logo actually constitutes a betrayal of brand identity or just business as usual."
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