Cracker Barrel Chief Executive Julie Felss Masino said the company's logo redesign, which drew widespread backlash, was intended to improve highway visibility, not signal any ideological shift.
According to the Wall Street Journal, Masino made the comments Tuesday at the 13D Monitor Active-Passive Investor Summit in New York City. She explained that the simplified logo was meant to stand out better on billboards, but acknowledged that the change alienated longtime customers.
Cracker Barrel replaced its iconic logo featuring a man in overalls leaning against a barrel with a version showing only the restaurant's name. The company reversed the change in August after criticism from customers and public figures, including President Donald Trump.
"Part of this transformation is setting up success for the long term," Masino said at the event.
She and the company's general counsel also discussed Cracker Barrel's long-running battle with activist investor Sardar Biglari, who has launched seven proxy contests since 2011 and continues to pressure the company.
Biglari, CEO of Steak 'n Shake and a major Cracker Barrel shareholder, has criticized what he calls the chain's poor capital allocation and said its transformation plan failed to boost investor confidence.
Steak 'n Shake has also called for Masino's removal following the logo controversy.
Masino said she met with Biglari shortly after becoming CEO in late 2023 but found his ideas unconvincing. "Mr. Biglari's playbook is making many misinformed statements," she said.
Cracker Barrel shares have fallen about 30% this year, leaving the company's market value near $825 million. The firm has since dropped the marketing agency behind the logo redesign and paused several modernized store remodels.
Masino, a former executive at Starbucks and Taco Bell, launched a three-year plan to refresh the brand with menu upgrades and updated interiors aimed at attracting younger guests while maintaining the chain's traditional base.
Immediately after the logo debacle in late August, Newsmax reported that Cracker Barrel had removed online references to LGBTQ Pride and diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives.
An archived version of the company's website showed that Cracker Barrel deleted a page describing its LGBTQ+ Alliance and employees' participation in past Nashville Pride parades, along with a page outlining its broader DEI programs.
"We are increasing our focus on leadership development and mentorship programs to better identify, recruit, and advance strong, racially and ethnically diverse talent," the removed page stated. "Professional development initiatives emphasize empathy and the superior listening skills that are so crucial for today's leaders."
Jim Mishler ✉
Jim Mishler, a seasoned reporter, anchor and news director, has decades of experience covering crime, politics and environmental issues.
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