When Nostalgia Backfires: Cracker Barrel’s Rebrand Misstep and a Design Lesson in Heritage

Cracker Barrel is a well known client to Lexy Rubin, owner of Rubin Design. She worked closely with the company in 2010 when they launched their own private label candle line that would compete next to Yankee Candle, called Dilly Dally. At the time, Lexy worked at well known NYC design agency, Beardwood & Co., lead by the Creative direction of Sarah Willams.

“I recall visiting Cracker Barrel stores which was familiar to me anyway since I grew up in South Florida, and they harbor many stops along I-95.” says Lexy. 

As of recent news, Cracker Barrel’s attempt to modernize it’s identity in August 2025 under CEO Julie Felss Masino quickly spiraled out of control, and certainly had our attention. 

“A rebrand of this magnitude, where customer loyalty is at the culprit of it’s success, is very risky, especially for large companies such as Cracker Barrel. I think of the big flop with Tropicana’s rebrand, who also quickly reverted back to it’s original packaging.” Lexy says

“I felt the type treatment of the rebrand was done well, however it was still too simple. I also felt the barrel shape of the logo was not a strong enough push, or recognizable enough for the rebrand, and certainly needed more attributes.” Lexy says.

The chain unveiled a contemporary, minimalist logo—dropping its beloved “Uncle Herschel” figure. The brand revamp was meant to attract younger diners. Instead it was quickly interpreted by many as a major departure from it’s Americana roots.

Facing mounting protests—marked by over 6,000 signatures on petitions—Cracker Barrel issued a public apology, admitting it “could’ve done a better job” in communicating changes. They pledged to preserve core traditions such as rocking chairs, peg games, and the Uncle Herschel presence in stores and on menus. The logo was officially reinstated, and the stock rallied immediately, recovering much of its loss.

The Real Lesson: Emotional Equity in Design

Brand strategists criticized the abrupt pivot. A rebrand without maintaining emotional continuity and without acknowledging your customer’s deep affinity for the brand —can alienate loyal patrons. Experts suggested a phased, heritage-rooted approach akin to Walmart’s quietly executed refresh. 

“If Rubin Design was tasked with the rebrand, we would have taken a similar approach to Cracker Barrel’s private candle line, Dilly Dally and not make too many drastic shifts in the branding and packaging. We would have refined Uncle Hershel and the typeface to have a more simple, cleaner look, without removing the integrity and authenticity of the brand. Just like the candle collection it was my goal to maintain the American roots of the brand….. simple country living lifestyle that Cracker Barrel customer’s know and love, with the whimsical illustrations and vintage typography, fit for a contemporary market.” Lexy says. 

“Sometimes when you work with large design agencies from major cities, although they have the top talent and expertise in the design industry, they will still lack an understanding of a brand such as Cracker Barrel, unless you go there and really live it and understand that audience. And that takes time and research.” Lexy says.

A Bright Candle from the Past: Dilly Dally Candles

Long before this crisis, Cracker Barrel embraced the careful art of nostalgic design. In 2008, Beardwood & Co.—with design lead from Lexy (Alexandra) Rubin—launched Dilly Dally Candles, an exclusive line for the Cracker Barrel Country Store. The collection included candles, votives, reed diffusers, and car fragrance papers, all wrapped in packaging brimming with ornate illustrations and nostalgic charm.

The visual identity of Dilly Dally was deeply rooted in Cracker Barrel’s heritage: warm, illustrative, comfort-driven—a stark contrast to the company’s ill-fated 2025 redesign. The packaging wasn’t just decoration; it embodied authenticity, personality, and emotional resonance—qualities shoppers connected with on visceral levels.

Though images were not captured here, you can easily envision richly drawn motifs: curling vines, hand-drawn fonts, and country-store nostalgia brought to life through thoughtful art direction. The line’s identity felt timeless, rooted, and unmistakably Cracker Barrel.

What Dilly Dally Candles teaches us about branding—especially for heritage companies:

• Anchor modernization in nostalgia: Keep identity elements—even in fresh contexts. Dilly Dally preserved heritage-driven charm, reminding customers of what they value.
  
  

• Design is emotional storytelling: Every curve, color, and illustration builds emotional connection. The 2025 logo lacked these layers, stripping character and erasing continuity.
  
  

• Gradual evolution, not reinvention: The warm, visual narrative in Dilly Dally exemplified continuity. The rebrand’s abrupt shift lost that emotional thread.
  
  

• Packaging as brand diplomacy: Dilly Dally packaging communicated what Cracker Barrel stands for—comfort, legacy, and quality—without saying a word.
  
  

  

Cracker Barrel’s rebrand meltdown is a perfect example in what can go wrong when design disregards emotional equity. For brands built on nostalgia and tradition, the emotional piece is often far more valuable than any sleek typeface or modern shape on a package. Lexy Rubin from Rubin Design is happy to share her thoughts on this heated topic and how her experience in creating the Dilly Dally brand for Cracker Barrel was a success based on humble-roots of empathy, understanding, and her branding skillset.