Cracker Barrel restores decades-old Old Timer logo after backlash

Cracker Barrel Old Country Store reversed course this week, restoring its decades old logo after an intense customer backlash over a new, text only design unveiled as part of a roughly 700 million modernization effort. The Lebanon, Tennessee based chain announced the reversal Tuesday, saying it had heard guests and would keep the familiar "Old Timer" figure sitting beside a barrel on its signage.

The simplified logo, introduced last week as part of a broader push by CEO Julie Felss Masino to update restaurants and attract younger customers, immediately drew criticism from longtime patrons and political figures and coincided with a sharp drop in the companys share price. Company leaders acknowledged they "could have done a better job" communicating the changes and said core elements of the brand, from rocking chairs to legacy menu items, are not going away.

In the chains hometown, regular customers voiced relief at the reversal. Yolanda Morrow, who dines frequently at Cracker Barrel, said "If something is not broke, do not fix it" and welcomed the return of the old logo. Other diners described the chain as an old country store tied to memories and comfort food. "Its an old...