Cracker Barrel Makes Decision On Redesign After Logo Debacle

Cracker Barrel announced its decision to suspend its restaurant remodeling plans and will instead keep its signature "old country store" vibe following backlash over a proposed logo change, the New York Post reports.

The restaurant chain shared a statement titled 'Your Old Country Store is Here to Stay,' confirming "you don't need to worry, it won't be."

“We heard clearly that the modern remodel design does not reflect what you love about Cracker Barrel,” the restaurant said. “We had tested this design in only four out of 660 locations, and we won’t continue with it. Of course, we will continue to invest in our restaurants to make sure that they are in good shape and meet your expectations.”

The decision came one day after former employees told the New York Post that Cracker Barrel had a nonpublic directive in February in which it prioritized "cost savings" and "efficiency" over customer satisfaction. The restaurant reportedly stopped making biscuits fresh every day, instead baking them one day in advance, freezing them and reheating them in hot boxes, which resulted in them being "hard," "rubbery" and "like a rock."

“They thought that we’d be faster and out sooner if we weren’t rolling out bread,” a veteran cook told the New York Post.

“People want biscuits to be buttery and soft,” she added. “The most common complaint we’ve gotten is that our biscuits are sometimes like a rock.”

Cracker Barrel's cost-cutting directive also reportedly included having meatloaf cooked one day in advance and microwaved for serving.

“Before, we cooked it in our oven and the cook would cut it up still in the pan, which was in our steam line,” the cook said. “It was fresher.”

Cracker Barrel reportedly scrapped the cost-cutting efforts after the outrage over its logo change last month, the sources confirmed to the New York Post. Both proposed changes were made after Cracker Barrel CEO Julie Felss Masino fired prep cooks and cut workers' hours, according to the sources.

“The changes [to how food is prepared ] were to account for the labor shortage in the kitchen,” the veteran cook said.

Felss Masino was met with scrutiny after she attempted to get rid of the company's 'Uncle Herschel' mascot and change to a sleeker looking logo before announcing that the restaurant decided against the change amid public outrage.