Cracker Barrel Old Country Store (CBRL) has officially hit the brakes on its modern makeover. In a sharp reversal from plans unveiled earlier this year, the Southern-themed restaurant chain announced Tuesday it will suspend its restaurant remodel program and fully return to its classic logo and “vintage Americana” aesthetic that customers know and expect.
The decision comes just weeks after the company rolled out a controversial new logo and contemporary restaurant design at a handful of test locations. The changes, which included a sleeker white interior and exterior, pared-down retail shops, and updated wall décor, sparked broad customer backlash and even drew a public rebuke from former President Donald Trump. Following the uproar, Cracker Barrel quickly restored its original logo featuring “Old Timer” Uncle Herschel and a wooden barrel — a brand mark the company has used for decades.
“Today, we’re suspending our remodels. If your restaurant hasn’t been remodeled, you don’t need to worry, it won’t be,” the company said in a post on its website titled “WE HEAR YOU.” “The vintage Americana you love will always be here,” the statement added, highlighting its trademark rocking chairs, peg games, fireplaces, and old-fashioned gift shop.
The chain had only tested the new design at four of its roughly 660 locations before pulling the plug. While the remodels were meant to streamline operations and appeal to a younger demographic, early customer reaction suggested the changes risked alienating the brand’s core audience.
Cracker Barrel shares slipped on the news and are down nearly 12% over the past month, compared with a roughly 2% gain for the S&P 500 index. The company is scheduled to report its fiscal fourth-quarter results later this month, with Wall Street projecting revenue of about $855 million — a 4% year-over-year decline — and adjusted earnings of $0.76 per share, down from $0.98 a year ago. Same-store sales, however, are expected to rise 3.5%, reversing a decline in the same quarter of last year.
CEO Julie Felss Masino had described 2025 as a “year of testing and learning” on a June earnings call, promising to update investors in September. Now, analysts and shareholders alike are asking whether the company’s multiyear financial targets — including guidance for $3.8 billion to $3.9 billion in sales by fiscal 2027 — remain intact. For the current year, Cracker Barrel expects revenue between $3.45 billion and $3.5 billion.
Some analysts believe the uproar could give Cracker Barrel a short-term boost as curious customers return to see the classic format restored. Citi’s Jon Tower wrote in August that while the “hubbub” might bring in more traffic, investors should still watch how management deploys capital expenditures and free cash flow in the years ahead. Tower also expects the company to retain operational improvements from the tests — such as faster service, better product quality, and enhanced employee experience — even as it abandons the modern look.
In short, Cracker Barrel is signaling to its core customers that the brand’s signature old-country charm remains its calling card, even as it experiments behind the scenes with ways to modernize operations and keep up with shifting consumer habits.
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