Cracker Barrel’s recent attempt to rebrand and subsequent reversal could be a master class in marketing missteps.

“History is rife with bad rebrands,” franchising expert Nick Neonakis said. “Cracker Barrel’s attempt will surely be one for the books.”

The company’s decision to refresh its brand identity came as the company looked to recover from financial struggles. Stock prices were drastically down from an all-time high of $185 a share in 2018 to less than $50 a share in 2024.

“This wasn’t a knee-jerk reaction,” Neonakis said. “And what they did was like many other brands. They thought, let’s do a refresh. But I think they took it too far when they changed the logo.”

After reverting to the old logo, which features a man leaning on a barrel, stock prices rose 8% in the days after.

The

See Full Page