Kathleen Firment,
strategist!
The ask:
Save Cracker Barrel after their failed 2025 rebrand.
The methodologies:
Eating biscuits, consuming every rant, thread, and keyboard fight I could find, teaching myself how to read stock market reports.*
*Site Visits, Desk Research, Social Listening
it was the rebrand that broke the net.
In 2025, Cracker Barrel introduced a rebrand. And people had... mixed opinions.
Distress
Neutrality
Amusement
Despite all of these online reactions,
the rebrand didn't change
consumer behavior.
"What is your opinion on the new Cracker Barrel logo?" %
"Does the rebrand make you more or less likely to dine at Cracker Barrel?" %
Turns out, a lot of opinions without a lot of in-person traffic wasn't good for business, and good 'ol Cracker Barrel took a huge financial hit. So a week later, Cracker Barrel reverted back to their old logo, bringing back Uncle Hershel (aka Old Timer)
August 21, 2025
August 26, 2025
Problem: Cracker Barrel didn’t lose relevance, it lost control of the narrative; when people were talking about Cracker Barrel, it was for the wrong reasons.
Objective: Restore Cracker Barrel's positive public perception.
Target: Cultural spectators who love to hate Cracker Barrel.
To get to know Cracker Barrel a bit better, the team took a visit.
We discussed Cracker Barrel’s brand over hashbrowns and rounds of the Peg Game, and agreed on one universal truth: Cracker Barrel is a road trip restaurant.
And the stats don't lie.
40%
of Cracker Barrel’s yearly visitors are travelers.
“I don’t need [a Cracker Barrel] near me, I just need one in between where I’m going.”
-u/BearSauce
“Every road trip of my youth included at least one stop to a Cracker Barrel”
-u/NotSoSingleMalt
“GOATed road trip restaurant”
-u/agsieg
insight:
Cracker Barrel is more than just a restaurant, it’s America’s pit stop.
Strategy:
In a divided world, the one thing we can still share is a table.
Phase One: The Appetizer
Getting all eyes on Cracker Barrel again.
_edited_.jpg)
Uncle Hershel pops up on LinkedIn, much to the confusion of diners, and gossip begins spreading.
Phase TWO: The ENTREE
Reposition Cracker Barrel as a road trip staple, not the center of controversy.
Realizing his worth, Old Timer starts to check out the job market, and shops his talents around at other roadtrip favorites.
_edited.jpg)
Cracker Barrel puts out a press release.
Phase three: The dessert
Reignite positive sentiment towards Cracker Barrel.
_edited.png)
After touring around, Cracker Barrel entices Old Timer back with a pay increase
(plus one for all of their workers!)
