Why Cracker Barrel Just Changed Its Iconic Logo For The First Time In 48 Years

Cracker Barrel is going through a bit of a facelift right now. Its old-timey logo, featuring a man sitting and leaning against a barrel, is being updated to something decidedly more modern and minimalistic. The new logo features no graphics — it's simply the words "Cracker Barrel," on a yellow backdrop that's shaped subtly like a barrel. The font has also been tidied up a bit, but there's no mistaking the new logo for anything but Cracker Barrel's.

The restaurant chain is making these changes thanks to a campaign it calls "All the More," which includes these aesthetic updates, along with interior redesigns that have decluttered the walls as well as enhanced the lighting. Cracker Barrel's been on a bit of an aggressive rebranding kick to revive lagging sales, which has undoubtedly caused plenty of customers to complain about the new look (but that seemingly happens whenever any brand undergoes a redesign).

It's likely going to be difficult to win everyone over with changes at a brand like Cracker Barrel, whose identity is heavily tied to Americana nostalgia and general store knickknacks. But the effort seems to be paying off, as there have been improvements in sales thanks to a companywide effort to turn things around.

Cracker Barrel has also released its new fall menu, which includes the return of some favorites along with some new items. One returning breakfast item is called Uncle Herschel's Favorite, which is two eggs with your choice of ham, catfish, chicken tenders, or New York strip steak, served with your choice of hashbrown casserole or fried apples, buttermilk biscuits, sawmill gravy, and grits. A new sweet breakfast item is the butter pecan French toast bake, which is French toast topped with cheesecake filling along with butter pecan syrup and praline pecan streusel.

And for the dinner crowd, there are also new items like a half herb-roasted chicken, as well as a hashbrown casserole shepherd's pie, which is a pot roast-based shepherd's pie topped with a griddled hashbrown casserole crust. So if you're not a fan of the new logo or the restaurant redesign, maybe the new food items will distract you. Either way, even chains known for their rose-tinted views of the past have to look towards the future, so I wouldn't be surprised if we see a few more small tweaks show up at Cracker Barrel in the upcoming few quarters (hopefully it'll update the recipe for its disappointing country fried steak, at the very least).