Cracker Barrel said Julie Masino will step down Aug. 10 after the rebrand backlash.
Why it matters: The move marks a leadership reset for a consumer brand whose modernization push backfired with customers. It also comes as Cracker Barrel faces sales pressure and renewed scrutiny over strategy.
- Cracker Barrel announced on July 27, 2026 that Masino will leave as CEO on Aug. 10 and stay on as an adviser until Oct. 9.
- David Deno, the former CEO of Bloomin’ Brands, will replace her and join Cracker Barrel’s board.
- The shakeup follows backlash to Cracker Barrel’s 2025 simplified logo and planned restaurant redesigns, which the company later reversed.
- Cracker Barrel reported same-store sales down 1.8% in its fiscal third quarter, which ended May 1, 2026.
Cracker Barrel said Julie Masino will step down as CEO on Aug. 10, about a year after the company’s rebrand attempt triggered customer anger.
Masino, who became CEO in July 2023, will remain with the company in an advisory role until Oct. 9. The company said former Bloomin’ Brands CEO David Deno will take over as chief executive and join the board.
The leadership change follows Cracker Barrel’s 2025 effort to simplify its logo and modernize restaurants to appeal to younger customers. After backlash, the company reversed course and said it would keep its original logo and the old “Uncle Herschel” image.
Cracker Barrel, based in Lebanon, Tennessee, operates 660 restaurants in 43 states, according to AP. The company also reported same-store sales fell 1.8% in its fiscal third quarter, ended May 1, 2026.
Independent chairman Carl Berquist said the search for the next CEO followed a “robust and thoughtful search process.”
By the numbers
- Aug. 10, 2026 - Masino’s exit date as CEO
- 1.8% - Cracker Barrel’s same-store sales decline in fiscal Q3
- 660 - Cracker Barrel restaurants in 43 states
Yes, but: The company has not publicly detailed severance or compensation terms in the materials provided, and the board’s full rationale beyond the search-process language is not available here.
What's next: Masino remains an adviser through Oct. 9, and Deno takes over as CEO on Aug. 10.