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Cracker Barrel Part Deux: Electric Bugaloo
- Thread starter CochiseCowbell
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I don't think that was a trap for the ones other than cracker barrel. The other ones definitely had distinct brands and there was some risk moving more minimalist, but they didn't really have a very distinct decor on the inside that was central to their branding the way cracker barrel does (or did?). Applebees was probably the closest trying to mimic the local bar and grill feel. I suspect having less **** to clean is probably a hugely helpful to the others. Never been in a McDonald's, Wendy's, or Taco Bell and thought, "Man, I wish there were more things to touch."
I think what cracker barrel did was make the mistake of hiring people that don't like their customers. I'm still unclear on how it's tied to wokeness other than they did apparently do some gay pride month stuff where they put out advertisements showing rainbow rocking chairs. I mean, it's probably not unrelated that the c-level hires that don't like the cracker barrel brand also like pushing gay pride stuff, but as far as I can tell without looking into it deeply the rebrand itself isn't woke. Just not something that would appeal to basically any of their core customers.
I get the relation here, but McD's still has the golden arches, Pizza Hut still has the top hat, and Taco Beezy still has the bell on their new prototype stores. So those all actually sort of make sense to me - they probably saved money on the roof construction of each, while making each design more sleek and modern looking. Cracker Barrel took their graphic (which happened to be an old white guy) totally off the new stores.
As a person closing in on one day being an old white guy, them taking him off doesn't offend me at all - unless they did it solely because of politics. Did they actually come out and say that's why they did it? Stupid if so. Exactly just as stupid as taking Aunt Jemima off the syrup and Uncle Ben off the rice. They're letting politics ruin a well-established brand for absolutely no reason.
I don’t think it’s politics. It’s just a bad rebrand.
I’d say less about the logo change, and more about the new CEO deciding to talk. Once that happened it was curtains.
also Bobby starbuck is on them like a pit bull on a poodle.
This was new coke level bad
Social media MAGAs in my orbit have posted that it is about them removing a white man from the logo and needing to hire a MAGA board so their stock will soar. It just looked like a bad rebrand to me. I stopped going years ago because I just couldn’t stomach the wait.
I don’t care about changing the logo. But what they went with is just laughable bad.
Reading about the CEO who’s been there for 2 years, she has a definite agenda.
Is it really laughable bad? It's just a logo that shows their name.
This seems like when there has been 1 stripe on a jersey and SPS folk have lost their minds because 1 stripe looks terrible and 2 stripes is clearly better.
If a new restaurant debuted that logo, I wouldn't think twice about it. It's a 17ing logo...whatever. I would see it on signs and know that's where CB restaurants are.
For this new logo to be laughably bad, the old logo had to be awesome. It wasn't awesome...it was just a logo. It's memorable due to the color scheme...which this new logo uses.
Tough to see why people are so passionate over a logo change.
glfr, you have taken a lot of positions that people on this board disagree with, but you have never treaded on ground as dangerous as you are on now.
I don't agree. Providing good food and service is what got them to be successful. Slowly companies often lose that focus and when the original leader moves on the next group could be in it just for the money. They don't have that same mantra as the person that built it. VThey see employees as an expense and not an asset. So they don't value what a good employee brings and just think anyone can do the job. If the employees now feel unappreciated the good ones move on and the ones that stay just don't try as hard or maybe don't care. They change the food from fresh to something more efficient. As in the Founder, Croc got rid of the actual milkshake with dairy for some product he didn't have to refrigerate.
Now time is also a factor in that something that was cool becomes stale and the fan base stagnates and doesn't grow. I still think good food and service can be successful. Chik-fil-a would be an example were even though the lines can be long you feel good after you leave because you are treated right. They obviously work with their employees to be helpful and friendly.
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Apparently conservatives felt that they have "ownership" of Cracker Barrel, and therefore any change to its aesthetic was an attack on conservatism.
I never got that memo. I like Cracker Barrel. I've never thought it was political to go eat there. I don't think the leadership of Cracker Barrel ever thought it was either.
I never got that memo. I like Cracker Barrel. I've never thought it was political to go eat there. I don't think the leadership of Cracker Barrel ever thought it was either.
You and others are upset that a bad chain restaurant changed its logo to something that is just a plain design, but I am the one trying too hard.
Got it.
If you don't make money, you eventually aren't gonna provide any service good or bad.
apparently liberals felt they had ownership of the redskins.....i mean the indians.......i mean statues they didn't like.......i mean.............insert dumb liberal stuff here.
I couldn't care less about the logo and when I first saw it "wokeness" or anything political never crossed my mind. Only thing I thought was, good lord I can't believe they're replacing a pretty good logo with one of the ugliest plainest ones I've ever seen, what are they thinking? But they're certainly not losing my business over it. 20+ years of declining food quality, service and cleanliness have already done that.
The people calling this woke are nuts, but the bud light comparisons aren’t completely off base. It is a company that has a consumer base that was never going to react well to a change like this. It looks like they spent so much time researching what gen Z might like that they completely ignored the boomers. You can’t piss off your loyal customers as you try to attract more new customers. Just dumb all the way around.
Thanks for letting us know what we need to be “passionate” about. You comments are greatly appreciated.**
There's nothing "woke" at all about the old or new logo. But the CEO apparently has some "woke" history in her 2 years on the job, so I think that's where the outrage is coming from.
I used to think the same about Starbucks and Bud Light. Why does coffee or beer have to be political? I should choose to go there (or not) and drink it (or not) based on the taste and service, etc., not each brand's politics. In fact, I wish I didn't know each brand's politics. I liked the good old days when people kept their mouths shut and served good (or bad) shitt, and let me decide whether I go there based on that.
But the environment changed at some point in the last 10 years.
Well, this is a message board. The entire point is discussion, and opinions on the opinions others provide is a large portion of activity on the board.
What 'woke history' does the CEO have over the last 2 years? I am sure it will justify the insane social outrage that has taken place over the last week.**
It will be interesting to see what dangerous and radical woke history she has, that is somehow fundamentally different from what other large corporations were doing these last few years.
I had this same thought when I saw shiitforbrains weighed in this morning.
No I just find it humorous how much outrage you have for the outrage that you don’t agree with.Well, this is a message board. The entire point is discussion, and opinions on the opinions others provide is a large portion of activity on the board.
Cracker Barrel, like basically every large company in the Western World, posts some performative rainbow imagery in June.
Next thing you're going to tell me, she said something vague about helping a poor person in some small way. MONSTER
So your saying if you provide good food and good service that will cause a company to NOT make money? If you read through those yelp reviews none say they hate the logo or decor. Changing those two things will not help no matter how they change it.
Thats not what i said.
I said you have to do both things you mentioned. Provide good food and service and focus on making money.
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