Cracker Barrel CEO is out after MAGA backlash to "Uncle Herschel" logo change

Driving the news: Julie Masino — who apologized last year after the episode and vowed to "always" preserve "the core elements that people expect from Cracker Barrel" — will step down from her role as CEO and board member as of Aug. 10.

• David Deno — a former CEO of Bloomin' Brands, the owner of Outback Steakhouse and Carrabba's Italian Grill — will take over as CEO of Cracker Barrel and join the company's board. He also served previously as CFO and COO of Yum Brands, the owner of Taco Bell and KFC.
• Masino will stay on as an adviser until Oct. 9.

What they're saying: Cracker Barrel independent chairman Carl Berquist said the company made the change "following a robust and thoughtful search process" and "we are confident David is the right leader to continue building on the Cracker Barrel legacy."

By the numbers: The change comes a week after Cracker Barrel reported a 2.5% drop in same-store restaurant sales in the first 11 weeks of the company's latest fiscal quarter.

• The stock is down 18% over the last year, though it has nearly doubled in 2026 after plunging below $25 per share.

Flashback: After acknowledging that the brand had become staid, Masino announced a remodeled logo and stores in a bid to overhaul its image.

• MAGA figures were angry at the company for eliminating the "Uncle Herschel" character from its logo, critically calling Cracker Barrel woke. Masino later announced Uncle Herschel would stay.
• The company had also initiated plans to eliminate much of the Americana decor from the interior of its restaurants but decided to keep the look after the backlash.