Trump supporters lash out after Cracker Barrel removes man and barrel from logo

Southern-style restaurant chain Cracker Barrel has sparked outrage among Trump supporters after unveiling a fresh new logo that drops the old man and barrel image it has used since the 1970s.

The company revealed its updated design this week, sticking with the familiar gold and brown tones but opting for a sleeker, modern typeface. The decision marks the first time since its founding in 1969 that the logo features only text.

The original “grandpa with the barrel” image, designed in 1977 by Nashville artist Bill Holley, was meant to capture the feel of an old country store. Over the years, the logo was tweaked several times, but this is the first time the man and barrel have disappeared completely.

In a press release, Cracker Barrel defended the redesign, claiming the 2025 logo is “rooted even more closely to the iconic barrel shape and word mark that started it all.” But many conservatives were not impressed.

Donald Trump Jr. fumed on X, “WTF is wrong with Cracker Barrel?” Right-wing YouTuber Benny Johnson piled on, saying, “Cracker Barrel completely changed their iconic logo for the first time in 47 years… and it’s absolutely horrible. When will they learn?”

Utah Republican Mike Lee even compared it to another controversial rebrand, asking whether the Cracker Barrel change was worse than Land O Lakes removing the Native American woman from its butter packaging in 2020.

Ultra-conservative account Woke War Room accused CEO Julie Felss Masino of scrapping “a beloved American aesthetic” in favour of “sterile, soulless branding.” Trump Jr. shared their post, amplifying the backlash. The account also slammed Masino over the company’s diversity and LGBTQ+ policies, demanding she resign.

Masino, who took over in 2023 after senior roles at Taco Bell, Starbucks and Mattel, has defended the chain’s modernisation efforts. Cracker Barrel has been steadily revamping its restaurants, moving away from a darker Southern look to a lighter “modern farmhouse” style. She admitted last year the chain was “not as relevant as we once were” and said the refresh was needed to keep up with changing tastes.

Not everyone is bothered, though. Former Ohio state senator Nina Turner mocked the fury online, posting: “People can’t afford housing, groceries, and are going bankrupt if they get cancer. So naturally, conservatives are mad about Cracker Barrel’s logo.”

Still, the company’s Instagram page has been flooded with unhappy customers demanding the return of the barrel and “grandpa.”

Cracker Barrel, which runs around 660 locations across 43 states and reported $821.1m in revenue for the third quarter of 2025, is standing by the rebrand. Chief marketing officer Sarah Moore said the makeover is about staying true to the brand while appealing to new generations. “We believe in the goodness of country hospitality, a spirit that has always defined us. Our story hasn’t changed. Our values haven’t changed,” she said, promising “fresh energy, thoughtful craftsmanship and heartfelt hospitality.”

The chain has even hired country singer Jordan Davis to front new adverts as part of the reboot, hoping to win back hearts—and perhaps soften the blow of losing grandpa from the logo.