Cracker Barrel CEO Julie Felss Masino was seen in public in Tennessee on Thursday for the first time since the restaurant chain’s controversial logo change drew significant backlash and prompted the company to reverse course.
Masino was photographed leaving her home in Green Hills, a suburban neighborhood in Nashville located a little over 30 miles from Cracker Barrel’s Lebanon, Tennessee headquarters.
Images showed her driving a gray Mercedes-Benz while being followed by a security guard in a separate vehicle.
Later in the morning, Masino stopped at a local Starbucks to pick up breakfast before heading into work.
Wearing a black shirt, dark gray pants, white sneakers, and a fanny pack across her chest, she was pictured carrying two Starbucks drinks and a food item.
She was accompanied by her security detail, who walked behind her wearing a bright blue shirt.
Instead of traveling to Cracker Barrel’s headquarters, Masino arrived at one of the corporate offices of Maple Street Biscuit Company in Brentwood shortly before 9 a.m. on Friday.
Cracker Barrel purchased Maple Street Biscuit Company in 2019 in a $36 million all-cash acquisition.
FOX Business reporters approached Masino outside the Brentwood office, seeking comment on the logo controversy and the company’s next steps.
Masino, who was on the phone, did not respond to the questions and continued directly to her vehicle.
She left the property immediately after entering her car, with her security guard following in his own vehicle.
The public sighting came days after Cracker Barrel announced that it would abandon its newly unveiled logo and return to its long-standing “Old Timer” design.
The company revealed its rebrand last week as part of an ongoing campaign to refresh its image. The change replaced the illustration of a man leaning on a barrel, which had been in place since 1977, with a text-only logo.
The announcement triggered immediate criticism from customers and observers, leading the company to announce on Tuesday that it would retain the “Old Timer” logo.
Cracker Barrel was founded in Lebanon, Tennessee, in 1969 and has long marketed itself as a Southern country-themed chain.
Masino has been working on a transformation strategy for the company since becoming CEO in July 2023.
The initiative was launched in an effort to reverse declining sales and address stagnant performance.
The logo redesign had been presented as one element of the strategy, but it coincided with a sharp drop in the company’s market value, which fell by more than $100 million after the rollout.
Masino officially joined the board of directors several months after taking over as chief executive.
Since then, she has overseen efforts to revitalize the brand, including new menu offerings and operational adjustments.
The logo controversy marked one of the most visible setbacks in that broader effort.
As of this week, the company has confirmed that the “Old Timer” logo will remain in place as it moves forward with its transformation plan.
