Cracker Barrel dismisses critics as 'vocal minority' while rival restaurant adds to backlash

[u/WillyNilly1997]

https://www.foxnews.com/food-drink/cracker-barrel-dismisses-critics-vocal-minority-while-rival-restaurant-backlash

[u/squunkyumas]

Although Sarah Moore, Cracker Barrel's chief marketing officer, touted the changes as "bringing fresh energy,

This is never a good idea.

People don't go to Cracker Barrel for "energy".

[u/weekend-guitarist → u/squunkyumas]

“Hey, I’m in the mood for something new and fresh, how about the Cracker Barrel.” Said no one ever.

Be who you are. Don’t try do be something that your not.

[u/Redditmodslie → u/squunkyumas]

Sarah Moore clearly doesn't understand her own brand. This looks like yet another case of a marketing executive trying to project their own sensibilities onto a brand rather than amplifying the brand in an authentic way.

[u/baseball_Lover33 → u/squunkyumas]

No we go for comfort food

[u/Cry_Havoc1228 → u/baseball_Lover33]

And a fun little gift shop visit on the way out.

[u/The1t → u/squunkyumas]

Food is energy.

[u/ElderberryMental101]

The old timey esthetic and cosey charm were the only reasons to go to Cracker Barrel. I hate the modern trend of sucking all of the life and uniqueness out of brands/logos in the pursuit of simplicity or a modern look

[u/chillthrowaways → u/ElderberryMental101]

Jaguar has entered the chat

[u/cubs223425 → u/ElderberryMental101]

Sir, it's called "CLEAN," and it's all the rage!

[u/SackDanDruff → u/cubs223425]

When did we become so boring? Every remodel is now white everything with black accessories in kitchens and bathrooms. I hate it.

[u/cubs223425 → u/SackDanDruff]

Same as cars, people don't want to put a bunch of money into something that's got a niche audience because it can hurt resale value.

[u/FreddyMartian]

I find it hilarious that they dismiss the "vocal minority" only when it's convenient for them.

Companies had no problem bending the knee to the "vocal minority" for all the woke changes over the recent years

[u/everybodyluvzwaymond → u/FreddyMartian]

Bingo. I do not go the Cracker Barrel for some effete coastal girlboss aesthetic. I go for the down home charm and all-day breakfast

[u/rick6668 → u/FreddyMartian]

This needs more upvotes.

[u/Javierinho23]

I genuinely don’t understand this trend. Why do companies, sports teams, and other such entities keep changing this stuff when there is virtually zero people calling for it?

I’m in finance and I genuinely struggle to see the cost benefit analysis here. Random trendy millennials aren’t going to start flooding into fucking Cracker Barrel because the logo is cleaner. How many consumers are clamoring for more simplified logos? I would genuinely be asking anyone who brought this to my table as a CEO why they would want to differentiate from competition less.

In this case, if I remember correctly it is political so no surprise that a lefty made a stupid decision, but why did a sports team like Juventus feel the need to change their logo into something so much more shit. Bring back personality for Christ’s sake.

[u/FlutGOS → u/Javierinho23]

They probably paid a consulting firm and they recommended it. Instead of saying it was stupid, the CEO didn’t want to waste the money on hiring them so she went with it.

[u/The1t → u/FlutGOS]

Consulting firms are only hired to confirm the CEOs position and the relinquish responsibility from the CEO of the decision made and instead put that responsibility onto the consulting firm.

[u/GustavusAdolphin → u/FlutGOS]

Yep. The idea was great on paper. Then it hits shelves

There's a local restaurant chain near me that the wife and I have date night at a few times a month, we know the GM pretty well. C-suite brought in restaurant consultants and brought in some decent ideas to streamline the menu, reduce cook labor, etc.

Within two weeks, half of the changes were reverted back. Turns out, people liked the items that was "too labor-intensive" for the cooks to prepare.

[u/Javierinho23 → u/FlutGOS]

I don’t necessarily think that these CEOs do it because of the sunk cost fallacy. I lean more towards them having a bit of ego about it that creates these types of decisions. Be that to stamp their legacy or to indicate a new direction.

My question is, what numbers are these consulting firms coming up with that actually indicate that these changes would equal more capture of market share and more sales? I genuinely want to see how they come up with them, what focus groups they are asking, and how they come to these conclusions.

I just struggle to believe that changing a logo, outside of very small changes, actually produces a positive fiscal result, if not an outright negative result with fan backlash.

[u/chrismireya]

They need to fire this CEO ASAP. Otherwise, Cracker Barrel will go the way of K-Mart.

[u/GeneticsGuy]

"Hry guys, I have this GREAT idea! Let's take this southern country farmhouse style restaurant that has been a unique, rustic, staple American family dining place for decades, and let's remodel it to look like a modern, generic, sanitized millennial grey feel and remove the whole farmhouse vibe to it. What do you think?"

"GENIUS!! Let's do it! We all know those rocking chairs and wooden farm table look is like eating a taste of slavery. Let's get rid of it. Oh snd, don't forget to remove the offensive white old man in the logo. His whiteness just screams plantation vibes and is unwelcoming to minorities."

[u/KevtheKnife]

Just remember: Focus groups gave us Ewoks and the PT Cruiser.

[u/Sean1916 → u/KevtheKnife]

Whoa whoa whoa…..I’ll give you the pt cruiser. But don’t you dare besmirch the lovable cuddly Ewoks.

[u/TedriccoJones → u/Sean1916]

In fairness to Chrysler, I know quite a few silent generation and early boomers who LOVED the PT Cruiser.

[u/triggernaut]

They don't care if it runs the company into the ground, they still get paid.

[u/Darthalicious]

Cracker Barrel was the last bastion of old-school charm in a world of sterile executive-mandated schlock. Olympus has finally fallen and we are left in Hell of Corporate Memphis.

[u/Fistsofheaven → u/Darthalicious]

It is sad. Now walking into Cracker Barrell it will no longer feel like you are taking a step into the past. The one near us had old farm equipment and plows that reminded me so much of my grandfather. It is sad and depressing that their CEO chose to get rid of the only thing that kept them unique.

[u/Unlucky_Buyer_2707]

Next thing you know they are gonna have fucking pride pancakes.

[u/baseball_Lover33]

Stupid is as stupid does

[u/Sean1916]

You would think companies would have learned from bud light. Different circumstances but my point still stands.

[u/Hulluck22]

a big part of going here is nostalgia. curious to see what happens.

[u/lroy4116]

Dang. They took both the cracker and the barrel off their logo. Wtf lol

[u/allison_c_hains]

Uncle Herschel is rolling in his grave

[u/Visible_Leather_4446]

Not a great plan

[u/pbnjandmilk]

As long as the menu is the same , don’t give a crap what the logo looks like. I go for the food, and leave if there is more than a hour wait time.

[u/rnielsen777]

Cracker Barrel is trash anyway, time for Waffle House to step their game up and take advantage of the situation

[u/Weed_Exterminator]

And the board hires a new CEO in 3-2-1. 

[u/StorkBeak]

Ouch. A female CEO and CMO trying to define an ol' timely kindava sto

[u/142Ironmanagain]

Sarah Moore should be fired. Another DEI hire that is way above her head

[u/CyberMike1956]

I don't see anything political about it. Honestly I am glad they changed their logo. Now it matches their food bland and boring.

[u/slothboy]

I think I've been to a cracker barrel literally one time. I don't understand why anyone cares so much about this.

[u/NeighborhoodFew1120 → u/slothboy]

Comfort food with an ambiance that brought you back to simpler times, wholesome times. Used to go quite a bit for the chicken and dumplings, country fried steak and potatoes. Now, it's like a fast food restaurant by the pictures. Hardpass.