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Cracker Barrel names David Deno CEO as Julie Masino steps down after rebrand backlash
Cracker Barrel announced that CEO Julie Masino will resign effective August 10, 2026 and will remain with the company in an advisory role until October 9, 2026. The board has appointed David Deno, former chief executive of Bloomin’ Brands, to succeed her on the same date.
The leadership change follows the chain’s 2025 redesign that removed the iconic “Uncle Herschel” figure from its logo and modernized restaurant interiors. The redesign sparked a swift nationwide backlash, amplified by criticism from President Donald Trump and other public figures. Cracker Barrel quickly reverted to its historic logo and halted the remodel program. The episode contributed to a decline in same‑store sales (down 5% in the fall of 2025 and 7% in the quarter ended Jan 30 2026) and a roughly 4% drop in the stock price after the CEO transition was announced.
In the same period, the company completed a strategic divestiture of the Maple Street Biscuit Company and a sale‑leaseback of 26 company‑owned stores, generating about $77 million in net proceeds earmarked for debt reduction.
Entities
Cracker Barrel · Cracker Barrel Old Country Store, Inc. · David Deno · Donald Trump · Julie Masino · Maple Street Biscuit Company · Uncle Herschel
Claims
What the coverage asserts, and how many sources carry each claim.
- [● 7 SOURCES] Cracker Barrel’s shares fell about 4% after the CEO change announcement. mix929.com · wdez.com · www.gmtoday.com · www.bbc.co.uk · opslens.com · +2 more
- [● 19 SOURCES] The 2025 redesign removed the “Uncle Herschel” figure from Cracker Barrel’s logo. mix929.com · wdez.com · www.gmtoday.com · wixx.com · wxerfm.com · +14 more
- [● 18 SOURCES] Cracker Barrel reverted to its original logo after the backlash. www.bbc.co.uk · mix929.com · wdez.com · www.gmtoday.com · wixx.com · +13 more
- [● 11 SOURCES] David Deno will become Cracker Barrel’s CEO on August 10, 2026 and join the board. www.bbc.co.uk · ca.news.yahoo.com · pjmedia.com · mix929.com · opslens.com · +6 more
- [● 8 SOURCES] Cracker Barrel generated roughly $77 million in net proceeds from a sale‑leaseback of 26 stores. www.wdhn.com · mix929.com · wdez.com · wixx.com · wxerfm.com · +3 more
- [● 21 SOURCES] Julie Masino will step down as CEO on August 10, 2026 and remain in an advisory capacity until October 9, 2026. www.bbc.co.uk · mix929.com · wdez.com · www.gmtoday.com · wixx.com · +16 more
- [● 6 SOURCES] Julie Masino will step down as CEO on August 10. mix929.com · wdez.com · wixx.com · wxerfm.com · 100percentfedup.com · +1 more
- [● 5 SOURCES] Julie Masino will remain an adviser to Cracker Barrel until October 9. mix929.com · wdez.com · wixx.com · wxerfm.com · 100percentfedup.com
- [● 3 SOURCES] Cracker Barrel divested the Maple Street Biscuit Company. www.wdhn.com · mix929.com · nemosnewsnetwork.com
- [● 2 SOURCES] Same‑store restaurant sales fell 5% in the fall of 2025 and 7% in the quarter ending Jan 30 2026. beavercountyradio.com · dnyuz.com