Cracker Barrel CEO stepping down after logo redesign backlash
Julie Masino will leave Cracker Barrel’s top job, with former Bloomin’ Brands CEO David Deno set to take over Aug. 10.
By Frankie Delgado · News Reporter
2 min read
Cracker Barrel CEO stepping down is the latest turn for the country-style restaurant chain after a logo redesign that angered customers and rattled its market value.
Cracker Barrel said Monday that Julie Masino will leave the chief executive role and be succeeded by David Deno, who most recently led Bloomin’ Brands, the company behind Outback Steakhouse and other restaurant chains.
According to Cracker Barrel, Deno will take over as CEO on Aug. 10. Masino will stay on in an advisory post until Oct. 9 to help with the handoff.
The leadership change follows a rocky stretch for the chain’s image. Masino, who became CEO in 2023 after serving as president of Taco Bell’s international business, oversaw a 2025 logo change that quickly became a public-relations headache.
That redesign removed the familiar image of a man sitting in a wicker chair next to a barrel. The figure represented Uncle Herschel, the uncle of Cracker Barrel founder Dan Evins.
Some customers objected to the change, and CBS News reported that the uproar helped wipe almost $100 million from the restaurant chain’s value. Cracker Barrel later acknowledged the rebrand had missed the mark and said it would keep the original logo.
Why is Cracker Barrel CEO Julie Masino stepping down?
Cracker Barrel announced a CEO succession plan, but the company did not give a specific reason for Masino’s departure in its Monday statement. The company said she will remain temporarily as an adviser to support the transition to Deno.
The timing puts the change in the shadow of the logo fight, which brought unusual attention to a chain better known for country-store nostalgia, biscuits and rocking chairs than corporate design drama.
Masino had also been leading changes beyond the logo. CBS News reported that she oversaw a menu overhaul after describing Cracker Barrel as “not as relevant as we once were.”
Deno, the incoming CEO, arrives from a restaurant group with several national brands. Bloomin’ Brands owns Outback Steakhouse and other chains, giving him experience running a large casual-dining operation.
In Cracker Barrel’s announcement, Deno called the company “a truly iconic American brand” and said he was honored to lead the team. He said he looked forward to “unlocking the full potential” of the brand.
Cracker Barrel’s leadership swap gives the company a new face after months in which the logo became a flashpoint over how far a nostalgic brand should go in updating itself.
The next stage starts Aug. 10, when Deno takes the top job and Masino begins the final stretch of her advisory role before departing in October.
This story draws on original reporting from CBS News.