The co-founder of Cracker Barrel has finally spoken up after the homestyle restaurant chain made a logo change that faced country-wide backlash. 93-year-old Tommy Lowe blasted the executives for the “bland and pitiful” logo redesign, according to News Channel 5.
Videos by Suggest
Co-Founder Of Cracker Barrel Flames Current Leadership Over “Pitiful” Logo Redesign
“They’re trying to modernize to be like the competition – Cracker Barrel doesn’t have any competition,” said Lowe. He then called out CEO Julie Masino’s failed rebrand decision.
“I heard she (Masino) was at Taco Bell. What’s Taco Bell know about Cracker Barrel and country food? They need to work on the food and service and leave the barrel – the logo alone,” Lowe said.
Cracker Barrel announced its logo change on August 18, removing the old man leaning on a large barrel from the iconic logo. Its change sparked uproar across the country, with many conservative Americans criticizing the restaurant chain for leaving behind traditional values, per NBC News.
Since Cracker Barrel’s rebrand, its stock shares had dropped by nearly 13%. By Tuesday, August 26, the company announced that it would revert these changes and go back to the old logo.
Lowe explained how Cracker Barrel wasted millions on a wasted rebranding. “Spending $700 million dollars doing that is throwing money out the window,” he said.
How This Restaurant Chain Grew Its Success
The 93-year-old recalled co-founding the first Cracker Barrel restaurant in 1969. “On September 19, 1969 – that was a Monday morning. I went out and unlocked the door and the people just came in,” Lowe explained.
At first, it was just Lowe and the late Dan Evins who had been in the oil business. Evins owned the property in Wilson County along Highway 109, knowing it would draw in customers off the roadway.
They were never sure their first restaurant would take off. Now, it has around 600 stores and has kept its same charm for over 50 years.
“It was just a country store for country people and that’s what it is today, they just don’t understand,” Lowe added, talking about the company’s current executives.