93-Year-Old Cracker Barrel Co-Founder Slams Restaurant Chain’s Failed Makeover: ‘That’s Not Country’

Cracker Barrel’s 93-year-old co-founder is deep-frying the restaurant chain’s failed rebrand attempt, calling it “pitiful” and slamming the current leadership’s direction of the brand.

Tommy Lowe, who opened the first Cracker Barrel location with close friend Dan Evans on September 19, 1969, couldn’t believe his eyes when he saw the restaurant and country store’s new logo.

Lowe told Newschannel 5 Nashville reporter Carrie Sharp that he thought the new branding was “crazy,” “bland nothing,” and “pitiful.”

“They’re trying to modernize — be more like the competition,” Lowe added. “Cracker Barrel doesn’t have any competition.”

Lowe also trashed his beloved country store’s new management, including CEO Julie Felss Masino, saying they’re taking too much inspiration from fast food, and turning their backs on what makes Cracker Barrel unique.

“I heard she was at Taco Bell,” Lowe said of Masino. “But what’s Taco Bell know about Cracker Barrel and country food? The food is something that you need to work on. Spending $700 million to [update the logo]. Doing that’s like throwing money out on the street.”

“If they don’t get back to keeping the country, then it ain’t gonna work,” he added.

The restaurant chain announced Tuesday that it was restoring its old logo — returning “Uncle Herschel” to his barrel — after intense backlash across America, including from President Donald Trump.

“We thank our guests for sharing your voices and love for Cracker Barrel,” the restaurant said in a statement. “We said we would listen, and we have. Our new logo is going away and our ‘Old Timer’ will remain.”

That hasn’t stopped customers from demanding Masino step down over the bungled “woke” rebrand.

Watch above via Newschannel 5 Nashville.