Cracker Barrel CEO Julie Masino will exit following customer backlash over modern logo redesign.

Cracker Barrel's chief executive is quitting a year after the company faced a widespread backlash over its controversial rebrand. The restaurant chain said on Monday Julie Masino will leave in August, with the former boss of Bloomin' Brands, David Deno, taking over. Its rebrand sparked a national controversy, with critics including President Trump, who urged the chain to restore its original logo after critics accused it of abandoning its heritage. Masino did not issue a statement about her resignation, but Cracker Barrel's management thanked her for her tenure. Masino will be paid an estimated $4.6m as part of a departure package, according to the company's 8-K filing, external. Cracker Barrel declined to comment, referring the BBC instead to the filing. The leadership change comes after a turbulent period for the business, which runs nearly 660 country-themed store and restaurants sites across 44 US states. Plans to simplify the classic logo and modernise store interiors sparked fierce resistance from loyal diners who argued the changes stripped away the brand's nostalgic Southern charm. The misstep highlighted the delicate balance facing brands hoping attract younger audiences without alienating their core, longstanding customer base. At the time, critics described the rebrand as "soulless" and "generic".