Cracker Barrel has announced that Julie Felss Masino, its chief executive officer since 2023, will step down on August 10, with David Deno set to succeed her. Deno, the former CEO of Bloomin’ Brands, which operates Outback Steakhouse, will also join the company’s board of directors. Masino will remain with Cracker Barrel in an advisory role until October 9 to support the leadership transition.

The leadership change comes nearly a year after Cracker Barrel faced significant backlash over a rebranding effort launched under Masino’s direction. The initiative, unveiled last August as part of the “All the More” campaign, sought to modernize the chain’s image by removing its longtime mascot, Uncle Herschel, and redesigning restaurant interiors with brighter lighting, white walls, and fewer rustic decorations. This rebrand extended to a revised logo, which replaced the traditional Southern-themed design featuring a seated “Old-Timer” with a simplified text format.

The changes drew sharp criticism from the chain’s loyal customer base, many of whom saw the updates as a departure from Cracker Barrel’s traditional Southern charm and an overt embrace of so-called “wokeness.” This prompted the company to quickly reverse the rebranding, reinstating the original logo and decor within days. The backlash extended to social media, where posts lamented the loss of nostalgia, and some observers linked the efforts to a broader cultural debate about the brand’s values.

Following the rebrand and its reversal, Cracker Barrel’s financial performance showed signs of strain. For the quarter ending May 1, same-store sales fell by 2.6% year-over-year, foot traffic declined by 6.7%, and overall revenue dropped nearly 3% to $797.4 million. Analysts noted the company’s core customer base skews older, particularly aged 65 and above, and some suggested this demographic’s reaction had impacted sales. Despite recent improvements in narrowing losses and regained market share after the rebrand rollback, overall sales momentum remained uneven.

Masino’s departure surprised some industry observers, as Cracker Barrel had not publicly indicated a leadership search was underway. Benchmark analyst Todd Brooks described the move as unexpected given the company’s recent positive announcements. Meanwhile, Consumer Edge’s Michael Gunther said the new management’s strategy, especially toward maintaining loyalty among longstanding customers, will be closely watched.

David Deno, who led Bloomin’ Brands from 2019 to 2024 and currently serves on the boards of Panera Brands and Krispy Kreme, expressed enthusiasm about his new role. He emphasized Cracker Barrel’s status as an iconic American brand rooted in country hospitality and tradition and pledged to unlock its full potential.

Masino, who formerly led Taco Bell’s international operations, will receive a severance package valued at over $4.6 million. Deno’s compensation will include a $1 million base salary, an annual bonus, and equity in the company.

Cracker Barrel is headquartered in Lebanon, Tennessee, and operates more than 660 restaurants across the United States. The company indicated that Deno’s appointment followed a comprehensive succession planning and search process but declined additional comment on the leadership transition.