GALLUP, N.M.—Travis, a New Mexico local, understands the nostalgic charm that draws people to the “Old Timer” logo featuring Uncle Herschel at Cracker Barrel restaurants.
It’s a familiar and reassuring sight, something you notice right away when you get off the highway, he said.
“Everybody attaches themselves to a brand. We’re used to seeing it,” said Travis, who preferred not to share his last name, before entering the Cracker Barrel Old Country Store in Gallup, New Mexico.
“I think the Old Timer sign was fine, but then they started changing the interior side of the design,” Travis told The Epoch Times, referring to new booths and streamlined features.
“That was lame—a little too much.”
When Cracker Barrel CEO Julie Masino announced the new sign without the Old Timer logo on Aug. 19, customers wasted no time making their voices heard.
Just a day after the company unveiled the modified logo for the “All the More” ad campaign, the company’s market capitalization plummeted by nearly $100 million, although the company’s total revenue for the third quarter of fiscal 2025 exceeded $821 million.
Yielding to a wave of public outcry, Cracker Barrel announced on Aug. 26 that the beloved Old Timer logo would stay put.
“We thank our guests for sharing your voices and love for Cracker Barrel. We said we would listen, and we have. Our new logo is going away, and our ‘Old Timer’ will remain,” Cracker Barrel said in a statement.
“At Cracker Barrel, it’s always been—and always will be about serving up delicious food, warm welcomes, and the kind of country hospitality that feels like family.
“As a proud American institution, our 70,000 hardworking employees look forward to welcoming you to our table soon.”
President Donald Trump weighed in on the controversy with a post on Truth Social.
“Congratulations, Cracker Barrel, on changing your logo back to what it was,” he wrote. “All of your fans very much appreciate it. Good luck into the future. Make lots of money and, most importantly, make your customers happy again!”
Cracker Barrel made a further statement on its website, saying: “If the last few days have shown us anything, it’s how deeply people care about Cracker Barrel. We’re truly grateful for your heartfelt voices.
“We love seeing how much you care about our ‘Old Timer.’ We love him too. Uncle Herschel will still be on our menu, on our road signs, and featured in our country store. He’s not going anywhere—he’s family.”
Standing outside the Cracker Barrel Old Country Store in Gallup, Deborah Lem from New Mexico said she agreed with the company’s choice to keep the original logo.
She said she would have stopped going to the store and restaurant if they had kept the new one.
“We need to keep these traditions alive because that’s what made America,” Lem told The Epoch Times.
“I don’t want it to change. I like the way it is.”
The Old Timer sign has greeted hungry travelers since Dan Evins and Tommy Lowe opened the very first Cracker Barrel in Lebanon, Tennessee, in 1969.
Today, Cracker Barrel boasts 660 company-owned locations across 43 states, most of them strategically located near interstate exits.
“It’s pretty much a mainstay,” a customer in Gallup said of the restaurant and Old Timer logo.
Veronica, who is from Mexico, said she was visiting the Gallup location for the first time after seeing photos of the iconic restaurant in magazines.
She said the new logo just didn’t have the same charm or appeal.
Victor from California told The Epoch Times that he has enjoyed Cracker Barrel restaurants for years.
He said he likes things to stay the same, especially the logo.
“People, you know, really loved the sign. Why change something that’s been working for decades?” Victor said.
For some customers, the debate over the Cracker Barrel logo was insignificant.
After all, “it’s just a sign,” said Matthew, from Gallup.
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