IYKYK (I don’t care WHAT you say…

#53
#53
EastTNVol6240 said:
There is a woke gimmick here. Just because you choose to not see it doesn’t mean it’s not there. The current CEO has taken a very vocal stance on politics in the past. Not my business but that generally doesn’t go well. People want to eat, they don’t care how you vote.

There are definitely members of that boomer crowd that won’t play the game CB is playing and stay away. When I think CB I think vacation. They always put these places on interstates and draw the travel crowd. I’d bet that’s just as much if their business as boomers. People like voting with their wallets in the extremely polarized days we live in.

IMO CB is and always has been awful food but marketed it well enough to draw a crowd. Now they’re failing at that.
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Explain what is woke about it like I’m a child. Like what specifically makes the logo change and remodel “woke”.

As you said, CB are generally places near the interstate and hotels. Boomers are a fading part of the market.They aren’t traveling like they once did or even eating out as much.

It makes sense to try to appeal to a more middle aged crowd. Whether that is “woke” or not is unclear to me.

I find the this faux outrage to be some of the fauxest I’ve ever witnessed.
 
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#55
#55
BenGrimm said:
Explain what is woke about it like I’m a child. Like what specifically makes the logo change and remodel “woke”.

As you said, CB are generally places near the interstate and hotels. Boomers are a fading part of the market.They aren’t traveling like they once did or even eating out as much.

It makes sense to try to appeal to a more middle aged crowd. Whether that is “woke” or not is unclear to me.

I find the this faux outrage to be some of the fauxest I’ve ever witnessed.
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Honestly I have to agree. I’ve tried to think about it from so many different angles and I don’t see why changing the logo is such a sin.

It seems hypocritical- the ones who cry the loudest about snowflakes are in an uproar over a restaurant they purport to not have been to in years “bc it now sucks.” Which one is it? Has the restaurant been going downhill for years anyway or is it just now terrible bc of a logo change?

Just seems like a “culture war,” distraction from the real issues.
 
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#57
#57
Volanta said:
Honestly I have to agree. I’ve tried to think about it from so many different angles and I don’t see why changing the logo is such a sin.

It seems hypocritical- the ones who cry the loudest about snowflakes are in an uproar over a restaurant they purport to not have been to in years “bc it now sucks.” Which one is it? Has the restaurant been going downhill for years anyway or is it just now terrible bc of a logo change?

Just seems like a “culture war,” distraction from the real issues.
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If it's a culture war, we know the end result. Welcome to Bankruptcy New C-Barrel.
 
#60
#60
For anyone interested, Robbie Starbuck has posted on X a 15-minute deeper dive into the history of the "executive culture change" that has been taking place within Cracker Barrel for over 10 years. I'll not post it here, simply out of respect for the forum in which this thread evolved.

But it's easy to google.
 
#61
#61
BenGrimm said:
Explain what is woke about it like I’m a child. Like what specifically makes the logo change and remodel “woke”.

As you said, CB are generally places near the interstate and hotels. Boomers are a fading part of the market.They aren’t traveling like they once did or even eating out as much.

It makes sense to try to appeal to a more middle aged crowd. Whether that is “woke” or not is unclear to me.

I find the this faux outrage to be some of the fauxest I’ve ever witnessed.
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You either are a child, are oblivious, watch 0 of what’s going on in the world (sounds nice) or are playing dumb to fit your political agenda.

They obviously took the cranky white old timer( prob racist because everything is racist in today’s politics) off of the brand as a politically based move. As you said to draw another crowd. A little research can tell you where the CEOs political views sit.

You can like the outrage or not, but it’s no different than the recent faux Sydney Sweeney outrage, dylan mulvaney, etc. Each person gets to decide what outrages them, not you or I. As a business owner, I completely understand trying to pull in a different customer base. The trick in doing that is doing it without alienating any current customers. They failed miserably here. I prob haven’t been to a CB in 10 years, but I don’t remember seeing many green/purple haired, pride flag waving tables full of people when I was there. I couldn’t care less about any of those people or their lifestyles, but they sure aren’t the people that made CB successful.

Disagree all you want, but the PR nightmare is enough evidence to show you they clearly missed the mark.

By the way, there are currently legal complaints with the EOC alleging discrimination based on the DEI initiatives CB uses to hire/promite/etc. Doesn’t matter to me which side you’re on, but the fact is CB hasn’t tried to hide which side they’re on.

They’d be better served to try and deliver some food that doesn’t taste like it’s been scraped off if Mcds floor. That’s their real problem with not drawing new customers.
 
#62
#62
EastTNVol6240 said:
You either are a child, are oblivious, watch 0 of what’s going on in the world (sounds nice) or are playing dumb to fit your political agenda.

They obviously took the cranky white old timer( prob racist because everything is racist in today’s politics) off of the brand as a politically based move. As you said to draw another crowd. A little research can tell you where the CEOs political views sit.

You can like the outrage or not, but it’s no different than the recent faux Sydney Sweeney outrage, dylan mulvaney, etc. Each person gets to decide what outrages them, not you or I. As a business owner, I completely understand trying to pull in a different customer base. The trick in doing that is doing it without alienating any current customers. They failed miserably here. I prob haven’t been to a CB in 10 years, but I don’t remember seeing many green/purple haired, pride flag waving tables full of people when I was there. I couldn’t care less about any of those people or their lifestyles, but they sure aren’t the people that made CB successful.

Disagree all you want, but the PR nightmare is enough evidence to show you they clearly missed the mark.

By the way, there are currently legal complaints with the EOC alleging discrimination based on the DEI initiatives CB uses to hire/promite/etc. Doesn’t matter to me which side you’re on, but the fact is CB hasn’t tried to hide which side they’re on.

They’d be better served to try and deliver some food that doesn’t taste like it’s been scraped off if Mcds floor. That’s their real problem with not drawing new customers.
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As a designer I completely understand the redesign. Take a look around and you will see all major companies streamlining their branding into flat minimalist designs. It’s very consistent with modern design trends (for better or worse).

Reading into it that they removed the old man for political reasons is YOU projecting. 99% of people that walk into a CB (or any restaurant) have no clue or even care who the CEO/owner/Manager/etc is and what their political views are.

I bet you will still see the classic logo on t-shirts and such in the gift shops for those nostalgia induced impulse buys.

And the only people I saw making waves about Sweeny was Faux News and the little puppet accounts across SM. All of the left leaning accounts and pods I follow were laughing at the backlash to the nonexistent backlash.

I was told after the election that “woke” was dead but one side won’t let it die because they still need it to whine about.
 
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#63
#63
BenGrimm said:
As a designer I completely understand the redesign. Take a look around and you will see all major companies streamlining their branding into flat minimalist designs. It’s very consistent with modern design trends (for better or worse).

Reading into it that they removed the old man for political reasons is YOU projecting. 99% of people that walk into a CB (or any restaurant) have no clue or even care who the CEO/owner/Manager/etc is and what their political views are.

I bet you will still see the classic logo on t-shirts and such in the gift shops for those nostalgia induced impulse buys.

And the only people I saw making waves about Sweeny was Faux News and the little puppet accounts across SM. All of the left leaning accounts and pods I follow were laughing at the backlash to the nonexistent backlash.

I was told after the election that “woke” was dead but one side won’t let it die because they still need it to whine about.
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As said, you must be hiding under a rock. I’m not projecting, I don’t care. I’m not a Cracker Barrel customer. The problem for them is apparently plenty of their customers did take it that way.

You’re making this about politics when I’m making this about business. Politics don’t control my life, I’m sincerely sorry if it does yours. I have 0 time to listen to podcasts from any sides,but there is plenty of evidence to show you there were plenty mad over Sweeney. Hide from it if you’d like.

As a business owner, perception is reality. You can pretend there was 0 political motive to this(we both know there was), but the perception is all that really matters. Your opinion and my opinion aside, look around, the perception ain’t good. CB can reap those benefits, doesn’t affect me a bit.

And if election results haven’t shown you woke is dead, you have a good chance of facing the same results in a few years. We both know what the definition of Ludacris is.

And no I’m not some crazy right cultist. I’d love some good candidates to choose from on either side. That hasn’t went the people’s way in a few cycles. But I can promise you the last thing on the American working people’s mind is what you identify as and can you use the wrong bathroom.
 
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#64
#64
Volanta said:
Honestly I have to agree. I’ve tried to think about it from so many different angles and I don’t see why changing the logo is such a sin.

It seems hypocritical- the ones who cry the loudest about snowflakes are in an uproar over a restaurant they purport to not have been to in years “bc it now sucks.” Which one is it? Has the restaurant been going downhill for years anyway or is it just now terrible bc of a logo change?

Just seems like a “culture war,” distraction from the real issues.
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All of the above
 
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#65
#65
TAF said:
Well then...Let's "Tennessee-It"

Gy6MS5LXAAAl0iT
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Why haven’t we brought that back? They could make a killing in souvenir cups that look like the Beer Barrel during the Kentucky game.
 
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#67
#67
Well, i don't know about all that.

I don't have strong feelings either way. And that's even with my family going to Cracker Barrel every once in a while. It's not great, it's not horrible, but it is decent food and a dependable experience.

My theory is, people don't generally go to Cracker Barrel because they think it's the most amazing cuisine or the most awe-inspiring decor. They go because they're on the road, and it's a dependable, known quantity. They know they aren't gonna be surprised in a bad way there. Or they eat at Cracker Barrel locally and it's just kind of a routine stop: decent food, even if not great, and decent prices, and decent service, even if not great. Again, a dependable option.

I don't know if these branding and decoration changes are going to help or hurt. I do know folks generally dislike change. *shrug*

On the other hand, I did not ever even once think of "cracker barrel" as a racist thing. I didn't think of the fella sitting beside the barrel as a "cracker" or any other kind of person. He was just a farmer. He could be hispanic, native American, black, white, whatever. He was just a dude in overalls sitting by a barrel. I always thought the crackers were INSIDE the barrel, not leaning up against it. I never thought about the fictional guy, other than that.

But it does make me wonder, so this question is for those of us who are anything other than white: have you always seen "cracker" as a racial marker in the name Cracker Barrel? Has that been a running joke or cause for concern among your family and friends? Because I could see if it was.

I'd appreciate responses. Truly curious about whether I've been living with blinders on where this restaurant chain is concerned.

Go Vols!
 
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#68
#68
EastTNVol6240 said:
Place has always been terrible. Right up there with buccees. Terrible food and experience all the way around but someone did a great job marketing it. Looks like that changed for CB.
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Nah, in the days when when they had steak biscuits and brought you a basket of cornbread and biscuits to the table I was in heaven 😂
 
#69
#69
VFL-82-JP said:
Well, i don't know about all that.

I don't have strong feelings either way. And that's even with my family going to Cracker Barrel every once in a while. It's not great, it's not horrible, but it is decent food and a dependable experience.

My theory is, people don't generally go to Cracker Barrel because they think it's the most amazing cuisine or the most awe-inspiring decor. They go because they're on the road, and it's a dependable, known quantity. They know they aren't gonna be surprised in a bad way there. Or they eat at Cracker Barrel locally and it's just kind of a routine stop: decent food, even if not great, and decent prices, and decent service, even if not great. Again, a dependable option.

I don't know if these branding and decoration changes are going to help or hurt. I do know folks generally dislike change. *shrug*

On the other hand, I did not ever even once think of "cracker barrel" as a racist thing. I didn't think of the fella sitting beside the barrel as a "cracker" or any other kind of person. He was just a farmer. He could be hispanic, native American, black, white, whatever. He was just a dude in overalls sitting by a barrel. I always thought the crackers were INSIDE the barrel, not leaning up against it. I never thought about the fictional guy, other than that.

But it does make me wonder, so this question is for those of us who are anything other than white: have you always seen "cracker" as a racial marker in the name Cracker Barrel? Has that been a running joke or cause for concern among your family and friends? Because I could see if it was.

I'd appreciate responses. Truly curious about whether I've been living with blinders on where this restaurant chain is concerned.

Go Vols!
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There were claims in the 90s that black people were turned away or something but was not substantiated and I think it is just the cultural atmosphere where some people ie white liberal women, want to be offended on every else’s behalf on things that aren’t even there..even when they (the people purportedly being slighted) don’t even care 😂
 
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#70
#70
BenGrimm said:
As a designer I completely understand the redesign. Take a look around and you will see all major companies streamlining their branding into flat minimalist designs. It’s very consistent with modern design trends (for better or worse).

Reading into it that they removed the old man for political reasons is YOU projecting. 99% of people that walk into a CB (or any restaurant) have no clue or even care who the CEO/owner/Manager/etc is and what their political views are.

I bet you will still see the classic logo on t-shirts and such in the gift shops for those nostalgia induced impulse buys.

And the only people I saw making waves about Sweeny was Faux News and the little puppet accounts across SM. All of the left leaning accounts and pods I follow were laughing at the backlash to the nonexistent backlash.

I was told after the election that “woke” was dead but one side won’t let it die because they still need it to whine about.
Click to expand...
A question from a retired, former graphic designer (who's designed, re-designed, and survived the back-and-forth corporate logo approval gauntlet for "my initial creation, which deserved to be hung in the Louvre" ;) )...

What is the purpose / influence behind this recent streamlining or flattening?

From a practical standpoint, the timing seems illogical. We now have all the bandwidth to go "full Baroque" in detail and nuance. Media-wise, you would expect this to be an era embracing a return to artistry, working hand-in-hand with the deepest understanding ever of human psychology, to produce a second golden age of advertising. Instead, everything seems dumbed down to below 1950s standards of uniform mediocrity.

On the other hand, facing a career extinction event, it does seem timely as an industry to squeeze out one, last paycheck before AI absorbs everyone's job. What better way than to generate a trend that requires immediate response and less creative time/ability.

My impression of this trend is that it's as if human designers were cooperating in the demise of their jobs, generating a look that serves as a bridge to machine-generated graphic design.

If I was still in the business, I'd be devoting my remaining time to challenging AI, putting out work that's filled with soul and humanity, humor and nuance, and intelligence that has some historical context. I know, the younger markets are not particularly equipped to receive such. But that's all the more reason to set your customer's product apart as something that aims higher, that appeals to (and thus, imbues its) customers with better than average sensibilities.

(Full disclosure: I was heavily influenced by, and still love, the non-Brutalist, flat, minimalism and typographic playfulness of the mid-60s. But what I'm seeing in the current minimalist trend is very different. It seems less playful, less humanizing, and much more embracing of "left hemisphere" and machine-learned sensibilities.)

Now you kids get off my [#117c13 Color Hex] bio-textured plane to horizon vanishing point! ;)
 
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#72
#72
dduncan4163 said:
Cracker Barrell has been trash for the last 5 years and the prices continue to go up. I don't give a damn one way or the other about the logo. Just serve decent food or drop the price
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Thank you! Where can a man get good country fried steak anymore!!??!! At a decent price.

Change the logo to a purple breakdancing hippo. Just make it affordable and quality. That will be all….for now lol.
 
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#73
#73
LadyVolette said:
Nah, in the days when when they had steak biscuits and brought you a basket of cornbread and biscuits to the table I was in heaven 😂
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You might be right. Maybe I’m just scarred. The only thing I remember about CB was vacationing with my parents. I just knew we were gonna eat there 1 time a day minimum and I knew I was gonna be hot boxed in the back of a car with camel lights.
 
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#74
#74
My wife and I ate there a month ago. We ordered plates we've enjoyed in the past. Both were lacking. In today's pricing environment restaurants don't get a second chance from me. We have sworn off of several traditional sit-down restaurants for the exact same reason. Red Lobster, O'Charley's, Red Robin... we won't go back again after poor quality of food.

I noticed they have to be hurting. The staff is no longer upscale young people at any of these restaurants near home or Nashville. I just felt sorry for staff. They can't be making much.

I know everyone has cut corners with the food and kitchen staff. The local sit-down restaurants keep the quality up. We pay for that. Just glad I pay the higher price and still get a great meal. We rarely go to restaurants unless we are on the road. We go out 2x per month to our favorite Mexican place. Never get a bad meal.

We have had good meals at IHOP, Waffle House, and Huddle House.
 
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#75
#75
Volanta said:
Thank you! Where can a man get good country fried steak anymore!!??!! At a decent price.

Change the logo to a purple breakdancing hippo. Just make it affordable and quality. That will be all….for now lol.
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Not Cracker Barrel. That was what I had at our final Cracker Barrel visit. It was small and tasted like the freezer.

Huddle house still makes a very good country fried steak. We have one in our town, but it is rarely open in the evenings when we might be searching for a place to eat.

Huddle House is just as good as Waffle House (where we recently ate the expected great meal) in my town. I don't know if Huddle House is this good everywhere. I watch the kitchen staff get ingredients from the fridge and make it delicious. It shares everything good with Waffle House, and has an extended menu. Their fries are very good, and I am very picky about fries.
 
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