Cracker Barrel reverts to classic logo after customer pushback
US restaurant chain Cracker Barrel has announced that it will retire its recently introduced logo and retain its classic “Old Timer” design, following strong customer feedback.
Listening
In a statement, the company thanked guests for their loyalty, saying: “We said we would listen, and we have.” Cracker Barrel emphasised that its focus remains on “delicious food, warm welcomes, and the kind of country hospitality that feels like family.”
The move places Cracker Barrel among a number of global brands that have faced similar challenges when changing their visual identity. Jaguar’s recent simplification of its leaping cat logo drew criticism from brand loyalists who felt it diluted the marque’s heritage. Gap was forced to scrap a new logo after just one week in 2010, while Tropicana reverted to its original packaging after a redesign led to a sharp drop in sales.
Research
Research published in the Journal of Product & Brand Management shows that American consumer response to logo redesigns depends heavily on brand commitment. Strongly committed consumers often react negatively to changes, with their overall attitude toward the brand declining as the degree of change increases. In contrast, weakly committed consumers tend to view logo changes more positively, seeing them as novel and refreshing.
Importantly, evaluations of the redesigned logo directly shape consumers’ overall brand attitudes, underscoring how closely visual identity and brand loyalty are intertwined.
In a South African perspective, a 2019 study of North-West University’s recent corporate rebrand found that student perceptions of the new logo were markedly less positive than those of the original design. Using a customer-based brand equity framework, the research revealed that although brand awareness remained relatively stable, the brand image associated with the new logo scored significantly lower.
Overall, students identified greater brand equity with the old logo, indicating a decline in sentiment toward the new mark.