Cracker Barrel changes logo by removing ‘the man’ and barrel from its sign: ‘Nobody asked for this’ 

The new logo drops the old man and barrel, but longtime customers aren’t exactly sold on the makeover, including comedians like KevOnStage, who have plenty of jokes about it.

Whether you’ve graced the doorway of a Cracker Barrel or not, you know about Cracker Barrel—the “comfort food” restaurant where you could also buy any number of items that you’d not buy unless you were there waiting for a seat. Cracker Barrel is a part of American culture, especially if you’re from the south, though surprisingly, the only states that don’t have Cracker Barrels are Washington, Vermont, Alaska, Hawaii, Oregon, and Wyoming. 

Well, it seems like we might talk about Cracker Barrel more than actually pulling up to one. The restaurant, amid a downturn in visitors and revenue, is undergoing a $700 million transformation in hopes of bringing new and different types of consumers to its 660 locations, according to the restaurant outlet, FSR. Those changes include the iconic Cracker Barrel logo, which has since 1977 included colors that indicate a “down-home” feel, plus an older white man sitting on a wicker chair, leaning onto a barrel. Do with that imagery what you will.

Well, now the man is gone; the new logo includes simply the Cracker Barrel wording overlayed onto that iconic mustard yellow background. CEO Julie Felss Masino said, in 2024, that the eatery was looking for ways to bring that old thing back.

“The way we communicate, the things on the menu, the way the stores look and feel … all of these things came up time and time again in our research as opportunities for us to really regain relevancy.” 

Some people are not happy. Despite the constant jokes about the restaurant being catered towards a certain demographic, a stop through Cracker Barrel shows a cross section of people eating the comfort food and hoping not to land in the hospital because of it, and that logo signified something to us all. As a point of note, it’s almost like when “Power” on STARZ changed the intro music from the 50 Cent and Joe version of “Big Rich Town” to a remixed Trey Songz version. Nobody asked for it. We’d prefer if some things didn’t change, and I’m sure that’s a universal feeling.

One person who registered a set of thoughts, feelings, and emotions about the new logo change, who might be able to stand-in as the Spokesman for Black America on this one is comedian KevOnStage. He might be standing in for white America on this one, too, honestly.

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Now, I don’t know KevOnStage personally, so I can’t say for certain, but I think he’s both telling the truth AND making some social commentary in satirical fashion because the new logo is bad—why change an iconic thing when it ain’t necessarily keeping anybody out? (Unlike that wooden peg solitaire game that says if you can’t jump all the pins, save for one, you’re an imbecile, or something—but the monuments can stay down.)

“Put the racism back in the logo!” joked Kev, more or less echoing how we all view the logo to begin with. “Y’all messing up Cracker Barrel? Nobody asked for this, man. That’s one place. You could leave it just like it is,” he continued. Which is true; the desire to remove what could be exclusionary visuals from the logo is commendable; we just don’t care.

“I need to feel the Confederacy in there, man. Where’s Robert E. Lee, man? Let’s get these statues back up,” he continued, losing me for a second. It’s all jokes, of course, but in case Cracker Barrel is listening and has somebody who might feel empowered, he’s just joking, CB, just joking about the statues. 

“The South shall rise again,” he continued. (Pausing here to note that multiple people in my own high school yearbook used this as their senior quote. Sweet Home Alabama.)

“I don’t want this woke crap. What DEI hire made this logo?” Kev questioned, rightfully so, too. I actually think this is the very thing President Trump was trying to stamp out: Cracker Barrel must not get any federal funds because how or why else could they get away with this?

“You just want to welcome everybody down to the barrel? No, man, you need to feel like you don’t belong. That’s what makes the edges of the pancake crispy. It’s racism!” KevOnStage, again, speaking on behalf of Black America (hypothetically) lands the plane right there, because even though most Black (or non-white) people who’ve gone to Cracker Barrel have probably eaten their food and left without issue, there is a certain “feel like you don’t belong” that happens that’s never said.

It may be felt, but isn’t strong enough to stop the consumption of the smothered pork chops. 

Put it back.