THE AMERICA ONE NEWS
Oct 1, 2025  |  
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 | Remer,MN
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Nostalgia comes at a price – nowhere more so than in the United States. For Cracker Barrel, that price has reached several hundred million dollars that have been lost since the August 27 failure of its logo redesign and revamp of its 660 locations nationwide. September turned into a steady downward spiral for the iconic Southern and Midwestern roadside chain: In one month, its market value plummeted by around $350 million (about €300 million). The $600-million restructuring plan – already partially underway – was abandoned. At the end of September, the company announced disappointing forecasts: a drop in customer traffic and the closure of 14 restaurants operated by one of its subsidiaries.

Cracker Barrel's collapse might just be a matter of marketing missteps, but it speaks volumes about the conservative moment the US is experiencing. The chain's management had not intended to wade into America's culture wars, but it found itself unwillingly thrust into the arena.

To understand what Cracker Barrel Old Country Store represents, you need to step inside one of its quaintly decorated restaurants: rocking chairs on the porch, country music in the background, Southern-inspired comfort food (chicken stew, meatloaf and more) and a souvenir shop. The first restaurant opened in 1969 in Tennessee, and the sepia-toned atmosphere quickly caught on in other states. You won't find these restaurants along the prim avenues of New York or San Francisco; they are mostly located near highway exits and attract both local families and travelers alike.

Becoming 'winners' again

The logo, designed in the late 1970s, captures the spirit: It features an old man, "Uncle Herschel," leaning on a barrel of crackers. The word "cracker" is ambiguous, since in Southern slang, it also refers to a poor white man.

It was by meddling with this symbol of bygone America that Cracker Barrel elicited so much fury. The announcement that the logo would be simplified by removing Uncle Herschel and that the restaurants' interiors would be renovated triggered a wave of outrage. This could have remained limited to negative feedback from genuinely disappointed customers unhappy with the brand's new direction.

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