Cracker Barrel Stock Plummets 10% Amid "Woke" Rebrand Backlash Led by Robby Starbuck

Nashville, TN – Cracker Barrel Old Country Store, Inc. is facing intense conservative backlash and a significant stock decline following its recent logo redesign and broader corporate rebranding efforts, which critics are labeling as "woke." Conservative activist Robby Starbuck, a prominent figure in the anti-DEI movement, has taken aim at the restaurant chain, promising to reveal "receipts" of its alleged shift towards progressive ideologies. The company's shares dropped approximately 10% in mid-afternoon trading on Thursday, August 21, 2025, following the controversy.

The new logo, the first change in nearly five decades, simplifies the iconic imagery by removing the figure of a man leaning on a barrel, retaining only the company name against a yellow, barrel-shaped backdrop. This change, along with interior remodels and perceived shifts in corporate strategy, has ignited a firestorm on social media. Robby Starbuck amplified the criticism, stating in a tweet: > "Tonight everyone learns just how woke Cracker Barrel has become. Video is being edited now. I’ll be bringing all the receipts. 🔥🔥🔥"

Starbuck, known for successfully pressuring major corporations like Walmart, Lowe's, and Harley-Davidson to scale back diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives, claims Cracker Barrel is "totally out of alignment with their customer base." He has pointed to the company's past association with the Human Rights Campaign (HRC) and alleged internal policies as evidence of "leftism at the exec level." Other conservative figures, including Donald Trump Jr. and Rep. Byron Donalds, have also publicly criticized the rebrand, contributing to calls for boycotts and the firing of CEO Julie Felss Masino.

Cracker Barrel, however, maintains that the logo is its "fifth evolution" and a "call-back to the original," emphasizing that "Uncle Herschel," the character from the original logo, remains central to its brand. A company spokesperson stated that their values and the "heart and soul of Cracker Barrel haven’t changed," despite the refreshed dining and shopping experience. The company also denied that an image of a "safe spaces" packet shared by Starbuck was part of any official company training.

The controversy underscores a growing trend of "anti-woke" consumer activism impacting corporate decisions and market performance. Cracker Barrel's management, under CEO Julie Felss Masino, has been working on reinventing the brand, with Masino previously admitting the chain was "just not as relevant as we once were." While the company asserts that feedback on the redesign has been "overwhelmingly positive," the immediate financial and public relations fallout suggests a significant challenge in balancing modernization with traditional customer expectations.