I’ll admit it—I loved Cracker Barrel. Living in New York, I never had one nearby, so whenever I traveled, I made it a point to stop. In 2014, I was in Florida and ended up at three different Cracker Barrel locations in just two days. That’s how much I enjoyed it. The food wasn’t fancy, but it was consistent. I could count on a Reuben sandwich or Eggs in the Basket and know exactly what I was getting.
Now? Not so much.
Every time I found something on their menu I liked, they’d remove it. Vacations for me are rare, and the idea that the simple joy of a Cracker Barrel Reuben would vanish felt like a betrayal. Over the past six years, their sales have fallen off a cliff. Their response? They’ve “modernized” the restaurants, stripped away some of the kitschy charm that made them unique, and—because every struggling company loves to do it—they changed the logo.
Here’s the thing: the logo isn’t the problem.
What Cracker Barrel hasn’t done is tackle the one thing that drove customers away—the menu. The food feels bland and uninspired, like Applebee’s in a rocking chair. By chasing modernization without fixing the core, they’ve left themselves vulnerable. Worse, their logo change ended up being used as a political lightning rod, and suddenly the conversation isn’t about the food at all. It’s about cultural debates no one asked Cracker Barrel to join.
That’s the lesson here. When you’re struggling, focus on the substance. If you’re a retirement plan provider, your “menu” is your service. If participants are frustrated because payroll isn’t processed on time or plan documents aren’t updated, a shiny new logo isn’t going to save you. Your clients don’t care if you have a new website or a rebranded tagline; they care about whether you can deliver.
Cracker Barrel forgot what made people like me drive out of my way for a plate of eggs. Plan providers can’t afford to make the same mistake. Fix what’s broken. Don’t waste time on what isn’t.
