Cracker Barrel CEO Julie Felss Masino to Step Down Following Controversial Rebrand

Cracker Barrel Old Country Store announced that CEO Julie Felss Masino will step down from her position, ending a tenure marked by a widely criticized rebranding effort that sparked backlash from customers and coincided with declining sales.

Masino will leave the CEO role on August 10 and remain with the company in an advisory capacity until October 9 to assist with the leadership transition. She will be succeeded by David Deno, the former CEO of Bloomin’ Brands, parent company of Outback Steakhouse.

The company’s 2025 rebrand, which included a redesigned logo and updates to restaurant interiors intended to modernize the brand, drew significant criticism from many longtime customers. Cracker Barrel later reversed the logo change after the backlash, but the company has continued to face sales challenges.

Cracker Barrel’s board said Deno brings decades of restaurant industry experience and expressed confidence that he will build on the company’s recent operational progress while restoring growth.