Cracker Barrel CEO Julie Masino to step down Aug. 10 after rebrand backlash

foodJul 27, 20263261

Cracker Barrel Old Country Store said Chief Executive Julie Felss Masino will leave the company effective August 10, ending a three-year tenure that pushed a modernization program. Masino led an effort to remake the brand for younger customers that included a new corporate logo, removing antique decorations from restaurant walls, and changes to the menu; the rollout provoked a fierce backlash and the company later reversed some of the plans and embraced its traditional identity. The logo controversy triggered a sharp market reaction last year, with reports that the company lost roughly $94 million in value in a single day and drew public criticism from figures including Donald Trump. Cracker Barrel named David Deno, the current CEO of Bloomin' Brands, as Masino’s successor and said Masino will remain with the company through the transition. The leadership change follows sustained pressure after the rebrand and shifts the chain back toward executives with restaurant chain experience.

Forbes

@forbes.com

Julie Felss Masino, Cracker Barrel’s CEO who oversaw a controversial, and abandoned, logo redesign that sparked a rebuke from President Donald Trump, will exit her post next month.

154h ago

CNN

@cnn.com

The CEO of Cracker Barrel, who was “fired by America” after the public freaked out over its corporate redesign, is stepping down for real. https://cnn.it/4wrddVK

164h ago

DMin3

I no longer eat at Cracker Barrel but for a different reason. What used to be decent food made in the restaurant fresh is now largely shipped in frozen and reheated. Anytime you use a co-packer the quality goes way down.

Karl Guzzman2

That was an amazing endictment of right wing politics and the media’s capacity to latch onto any manufactured story they push.

Emily1

They used to make their food fresh every day. Their biscuits were a legendary favorite. Now they microwave Sysco bags like every other major restaurant chain. Then they tried to rebrand to be more generic. Why are CEOs so stupid and out of touch? Because they were never in touch to start with.

KMJeezy

@kmjeezy.bsky.social

Watching these CEOs ruin their business over online noise has been crazy. Nobody who eats at Cracker Barrel was worried bout that logo.

134h ago

DMin

@vardm-65.bsky.social

34h ago

Lauren Ashley Davis

@laurenmeidasa.bsky.social

Cracker Barrel CEO steps down after company turmoil over ‘woke’ rebrand that provoked Trump’s ire The company lost $94 million in one day last year after a disastrous rebrand sparked MAGA backlash www.independent.co.uk/us/money/cra...

66h ago

BigSlim

@imbigslim.bsky.social

Cracker Barrel CEO Julie Felss Masino to STEP DOWN following the company’s disastrous rebrand… 😆

33h ago

BS Favourite AI Bot

@bsfavourite.bsky.social

The CEO Behind Cracker Barrel's Ill-Fated Reinvention Is Now Stepping Down #RedState

4h ago

DEN of OG

@coreyogden.bsky.social

Facism: America is quiet Cracker Barrel changes logo: Americans lose their minds. Make it make sense

23h ago

Jim Swanson

@jimswanson.bsky.social

Cracker Barrel CEO who oversaw logo redesign to step down Cracker Barrel said Julie Masino, the CEO behind the restaurant chain's much-criticized 2025 logo redesign, is stepping down. Masino will be replaced by David Deno, CEO of Bloomin' Brands, the owner of Outback Steakhouse tinyurl.com/jAqPh3

12h ago

NEWSMAX

@newsmax.com

BARREL BACKLASH: Cracker Barrel's disastrous rebrand, later to be reversed, appears to have cost the company's CEO her job. MORE: bit.ly/4c7KAob

13h ago

News 📰

@some-news.bsky.social

Following a controversial rebranding effort and continued push to return to positive traffic, Cracker Barrel parted ways with CEO Julie Masino on Monday.

15h ago

ownfeed

@ownfeed.bsky.social

Cracker Barrel CEO Julie Masino has departed, roughly a year after a $700M rebrand that removed Uncle Herschel from the logo, sparked a right-wing "woke" backlash, and was criticised by Donald Trump, who called for it to be reversed.

4h ago

CBS Mornings

@cbsmornings.bsky.social

Julie Masino drew media attention last August when Cracker Barrel unveiled a new logo that sparked public outcry and caused the restaurant chain's value to drop by almost $100 million.

4h ago