Why Trump attacked 'woke' Cracker Barrel rebrand
Southern US restaurant chain Cracker Barrel has reversed plans to rebrand after being dubbed “woke” by conservatives online, with Trump joining in on the plea.
Listen to this article
Read time: 3 minutes
In brief:
- Cracker Barrel abandoned plans to rebrand with a minimalist logo (removing the "old-timer" character and "old country store" text after facing fierce conservative backlash online, including criticism from President Trump
- The company initially stood firm but eventually backtracked and announced it would keep its original 1969 logo, a decision that was celebrated by the White House.
- Jon Sopel calls it "nuts" that a company facing declining sales and research indicating the need to modernise would backtrack on its rebrand simply to satisfy Donald Trump's nostalgia for a bygone America.
What’s the story?
US restaurant chain Cracker Barrel has abandoned plans to revamp its logo after fierce online backlash, including from President Trump.
Conservatives reacted angrily online to the new, minimalist logo design, accusing the company of going “woke”, with Trump posting on Truth Social; “Make Cracker Barrel a WINNER Again!”
The company, founded in 1969 in Tennessee, is known for its southern-style atmosphere, which is captured in its original logo which features an older man referred to as ‘old-timer’ sitting next to a barrel, and the words ‘old country store’.
“Cracker Barrel is an imagined old version of America; folksy, old-school, it drips nostalgia for an America of bygone days,” Jon Sopel explains on The News Agents.
Many people in the US have an affinity to the brand, but that wasn’t translating into commercial success, and with sales down the company decided to modernise.
“Except, of course, in Trump's America, if you make something modern, it must be ‘woke’,” Emily Maitlis says.
“Trump hated it.”
The rebrand, revealed on 19 August, removed the ‘old-timer’ and ‘old country store’ messaging in favour of a simpler design featuring only an emblem and the brand’s name.
Trump urged the company to “admit a mistake” and return to the old logo, adding that they would get “a Billion Dollars worth of free publicity if they play their cards right.”
Originally standing firm in their decision, Cracker Barrel eventually caved and announced that they would not go ahead with the change - which was celebrated in the White House.
“They cracked,” Emily says.
“Sure enough, when Trump hates something in the commercial world, the commercial world seems to do what he wants.”
Jon describes the company’s backtrack as “capitalism gone mad”, as companies bend to Donald Trump’s will even if it’s not in their best interest.
“A company is reacting to the fact that no one wants to buy this idea of nostalgia America, so they are modernising their image.
“But the President says: ‘no, no, people do want nostalgia America’ - and even though they know that is wrong, they're doing it anyway.
“It’s nuts.”