As if we didn’t know this was coming……..Cracker Barrel is cancelling its bulk order of white paint. The rustic-themed chain, with 660 restaurants across the U.S., has announced that it is immediately halting all store remodels. The company took to social media to issue a statement:
"You've shared your voices in recent weeks, not just on our logo but also on our restaurants. Today, we're suspending our remodels. If your restaurant hasn't been remodeled, you don't need to worry, it won't be.”
Since 2024, Cracker Barrel has been attempting to modernize its image. Led by CEO Julie Masino, the company was attempting to reboot its image with a $700 million makeover. Gone were the untreated lattice wood walls — in came the white-painted wainscoting. Designers removed busy trinkets from the wall and replaced them with farmhouse-style paintings. Meanwhile, customers simmered in anger and took to social media to express their disdain. Critics compared the fiasco to Bud Light’s Dylan Mulvaney in 2023, when shoppers revolted against the alcohol brand, sending sales spiraling for months. It appears that Cracker Barrel heeded the warning and is not headed down that same road. Since the fiasco has been labeled a failure of Cracker Barrel’s senior management, it remains to be seen whether Masino will be thrown out along with the remodeling plans.
