Cracker Barrel Changes Logo After 48 Years
Cracker Barrel debuts new logo (Photo Credit: Photo by Paul Weaver/Getty Images)
Cracker Barrel First Opened Their Doors In 1969
Cracker Barrel opened its first location in 1969 in Lebanon, Tennessee as a place to “give travelers a good place to stop and enjoy themselves.”
When the restaurant first opened, the logo, and the menu, was quite simple and looked hand drawn.
By 1977, there were 13 locations and a new logo!
Patrons became attached to the logo, which featured a man named Uncle Herschel, who is the founder Dan Evins’ real-life uncle.
Not only was he important to the logo, he was important to the brand. The Cracker Barrel website even calls him the “soul” of the company.
According the the restaurant’s website, Uncle Herschel “spent many workdays traveling to these old country stores that were complete with cracker barrels, checker boards and rockers on the front porch. He was quite a storyteller himself and became a familiar and friendly face among the locals in many southern communities. After his retirement, Herschel brought the long-standing tradition of being a good neighbor to each and every Cracker Barrel store. He spent most of his working life bringing forth the important yet simple message of what makes a business successful – that people should be treated just as we would have them treat us. He was known throughout Cracker Barrel for his genuine sincerity.”
There is even a statue of Uncle Herschel at the Lebanon, Tennessee location.
Over the years, the yellow color of the logo got a bit brighter, but Uncle Herschel remained for the next 48 years. That is, until they rebranded in 2025.
The Restaurant Unveils First New Logo In 48 Years
For the first time since 1977, Cracker Barrel has revealed a new logo…and it has mixed reviews.
In a post on social media, the iconic restaurant shared what the new logo on the restaurants look like alongside the caption, “You’ve been the best part of our table for 55 years, let’s do some more.”
The official logo is still the iconic yellow and brown, but in a modernized font. The company said the new logo “is now rooted even more closely to the iconic barrel shape and word mark that started it all.”
Change is hard, no matter what, but some fans and patrons didn’t take too kindly to the abrupt logo change. One fan commented, “Why did you get rid of Uncle Herschel? Is nothing sacred?”
See the new music video country singer Jordan Davis recorded to help debut the new look of the company.
The logo change also comes with an upgrade to locations, which has been in the works for a while, according to an interview with the CEO last year.
