In Lebanon, Tennessee, customers are expressing their views on Cracker Barrel’s recent choice to revert to its traditional “Old Timer” logo, moving away from a newly introduced text-only design.
Although there’s been a slight uptick in store visits, Cracker Barrel hasn’t entirely bounced back from the issues related to last year’s unsuccessful rebranding, as noted by company executives during a recent earnings call.
To stabilize finances after a drop in sales caused by that rebranding effort—which included removing “old timer” from its branding and altering store layouts—the company is making adjustments. They revealed on Monday that CEO Julie Masino will resign this summer, with David Deno stepping in as the new leader on August 10. This change comes as the company continues its slow recovery from the previous branding attempt.
Masino remarked, “Our third-quarter results exceeded expectations thanks to our operational and cost initiatives, while metrics focused on guest experiences continue to improve, positioning us for further recovery.”
Last month, Cracker Barrel’s report showed that while there has been some positive movement in traffic, numbers are still trailing behind those from last year. Chief Financial Officer Craig Pomers indicated that same-store restaurant sales fell by 2.6%, alongside a 6.7% decrease in foot traffic. “Even though traffic remains down, we’re optimistic about the gradual improvement of underlying trends,” he added.
Cracker Barrel’s stock is currently down about 18% compared to a year ago, still below its pre-rebranding levels; however, some progress is evident as their stock price has climbed 105% since the beginning of 2026. To enhance financial performance, the company has made recent strategic moves.
Notably, Cracker Barrel has announced its exit from the Maple Street Business Company and plans to sell several restaurant properties. The brand and its 35 locations were sold to Biscuit Berry LLC, while Cracker Barrel has shut down its remaining 16 Maple Street restaurants.
Additionally, the company engaged in sale-leaseback agreements for 26 company-owned restaurants, resulting in approximately $77 million in net proceeds. This funding is intended for debt repayment while they continue to operate those eateries by leasing the properties back from the new owners.
Brand expert Bruce Terkel shared an interesting perspective, stating, “Brands aren’t what business owners want them to be. Customers believe that.”
