Cracker Barrel CEO Julie Masino is stepping aside nearly one year after her attempt to overhaul the iconic country restaurant triggered a customer revolt and erased nearly $100 million from the company’s market value.
As reported on Tuesday’s AM Update, the company announcing Monday that Masino will leave the top job August 10, ending a three-year tenure dominated by her unsuccessful effort to steer Cracker Barrel away from the traditional identity that made it popular with generations of American families.
Masino, who will remain in an advisory role through October 9, is being replaced by former Bloomin’ Brands CEO David Deno. He brings over four decades in the restaurant and retail industries to the troubled chain.
Failed Rebrand
Masino arrived at Cracker Barrel in 2023 and declared the folksy restaurant chain was no longer as relevant as it once had been. Her proposed solution: A $700 million transformation overhaul of the menu, branding, and restaurant interiors.
The backlash exploded last August after Cracker Barrel unveiled a minimalist new logo that removed the company’s beloved overall-clad “Old Timer” and his barrel from the design. Remodeled locations also traded much of the antique-style decor and country-store atmosphere for brighter, sleeker dining rooms.
The refresh drew instant backlash from longtime customers who accused Cracker Barrel of stripping away its personality and abandoning the heritage that made the restaurant distinctive. Masino initially dismissed the criticism, even insisting during an August 2025 appearance on Good Morning America that customers actually loved the changes.
Sales Slump
But the financial response suggested otherwise. Cracker Barrel lost nearly $100 million in market value immediately after unveiling the new logo.
President Donald Trump joined the critics days later in a Truth Social post. “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 before,” he wrote.
Cracker Barrel surrendered that same evening, scrapping the new logo one week after its debut. The company abandoned the rest of Masino’s visual overhaul two weeks later and announced it would suspend the restaurant remodels after testing the new design in only four locations.
Masino later conceded the redesign had “missed the mark,” but the company has struggled to repair the damage nearly a year later. Cracker Barrel reported a $24.6 million loss during the first quarter following the controversy, compared with a $4.8 million profit one year earlier. Revenue fell nearly 6 precent.
Cracker Barrel stock dropped slightly on Monday’s news, falling 2.38 percent to $52.43. The stock is down nearly 18 percent since this time last year.
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