The 93-year-old co-founder of Cracker Barrel blasted the homestyle restaurant chain’s execs for permitting adjustments that broken the 56-year-old enterprise as he urged CEO Julie Felss Masino to depart the emblem alone.
Tommy Lowe, co-founder of the primary Cracker Barrel in 1969, accused the previous Taco Bell govt of making an attempt to rival the chain’s extensively criticized $700 million modernization effort.
“They’re making an attempt to modernize to be just like the competitors — Cracker Barrel doesn’t have any competitors,” Lowe advised WTVF Thursday. “I heard she was at Taco Bell. What’s Taco Bell learn about Cracker Barrel and nation meals? They should work on the meals and repair and go away the barrel — the emblem alone.”
The nonagenarian’s feedback come after Cracker Barrel executives reversed course on a a lot despised brand redesign that eliminated the well-known “barrel” and Uncle Herschel from the chain’s branding.
Lowe slammed the rebrand as “pitiful” — saying Masino didn’t perceive Cracker Barrel’s id due to her background in quick meals.
“Spending $700 million {dollars} doing that’s throwing cash out the window,” he stated.
Lowe claims Masino doesn’t know who he’s and revealed he has by no means met with the manager since she was named Cracker Barrel’s President and CEO in July 2023.
Masino started implementing adjustments to the menu, inside design and costs quickly after assuming the coveted place in November.
The preliminary adjustments went below the radar for many prospects, however Masino’s most up-to-date alteration raised eyebrows throughout the nation.
Lowe, who served as Cracker Barrel’s Vice President of Operations and held a decades-long seat on the board of administrators, stated Masino was making an attempt to compete with competitors that didn’t exist.
Following the immense backlash and plunging shares, Cracker Barrel executives determined to reverse course and return to the “Previous Timer” brand.
“We thank our friends for sharing your voices and love for Cracker Barrel,” the corporate stated in an announcement. “We stated we’d hear, and now we have. Our new brand goes away and our ‘previous timer’ will stay.”
The about-face adopted days of protests on social media in opposition to Cracker Barrel’s rebranding efforts — capped on Tuesday with Trump weighing in and advising the corporate to return to the unique brand design.
Lowe recalled a “Grand Ole Opry” man named String Bean who had warned the restaurant in its toddler stage to “preserve it nation.”
He reiterated the alert to the present leaders, warning the enterprise would falter in the event that they didn’t hear.
“In the event that they don’t get again to holding it nation, then it ain’t gonna work,” Lowe advised the outlet.
The primary retailer was constructed alongside Freeway 109 in Lebanon, Tenn., after co-founder Dan Evins needed to construct a fuel station however wanted one thing extra interesting to get extra prospects.
Evins, who died in 2012, introduced in Lowe, a development enterprise proprietor, to construct a restaurant to accompany the station and supply for truckers who drove by the world.
“It was only a nation retailer for nation folks and that’s what it’s immediately, they simply don’t perceive,” Lowe stated.
Lowe says it took “eternally” to get 10 buyers to fund the $10,000 wanted to construct the shop.
“It wasn’t a wager in any respect,” he stated on the challenges confronted in getting up and operating.
The companions managed to get off the bottom, opening the primary retailer on Sept. 19, 1969, finally increasing the chain to over 650 areas in 44 states.
