What Does The Name Cracker Barrel Even Mean?
We live in an era when people have become more attached to the comfort of their favorite brands than ever, and the ongoing saga of Cracker Barrel's modern makeover may be the definitive example. In late 2024, the popular country restaurant chain announced an overhaul of its brand aimed at refreshing the appearance of the old-school chain. The most controversial decision has been the recent move to change the Cracker Barrel logo, which included removing the image of a man leaning against a barrel that has beckoned highway travelers for decades. And while people have criticized the new logo as sterile and called for a return to the logo they knew and loved, the removal of the image also makes one wonder why the heck Cracker Barrel was using that logo to begin with, and why a restaurant chose that name?
The name specifically ties into the history of what Cracker Barrel is trying to replicate: An old country store. Back when small towns often only had a few businesses, country stores were not just for selling food and supplies; they were a community gathering place. During this time, soda crackers, which are another name for saltines, were shipped to these stores in big wooden barrels to prevent them from breaking during transit. After the crackers were taken out, the barrels would be repurposed as tables that locals could sit around as they socialized. They were even used to hold checkerboards, which remain a Cracker Barrel staple.
Cracker Barrel took its name from the barrels people would gather around at old country stores
The old-school feeling of people sitting around the cracker barrel ties directly into the logo as well. Founder Dan Evins was looking to capture that homey nostalgia when he opened the first Cracker Barrel in 1969, and the logo, which was developed later, is an extension of that. There have been rumors that the man on the logo was modeled on Evins' uncle, an uncle who would hang around the early locations, but he is actually nothing more than an advertising creation. The logo of a man in overalls leaning against a barrel was created by a Nashville designer in 1977 to capture the homespun appeal of the store.
However, the logo and Cracker Barrel name were not just about nostalgia. While Evins' uncle wasn't the man on the logo, he was the inspiration for the chain's welcoming ethos, based around the simplicity of the golden rule. The store wants to be a welcoming gathering place where everyone can come in and grab a classic Cracker Barrel breakfast. The company says the brand change was part of an effort to celebrate the full diversity of its guests, which captures the spirit of the name Cracker Barrel more than any marketing drawing. But it seems Cracker Barrel has created its own form of nostalgia for the brand itself, with the same mixture of loyalty and opposition to change that feeling often brings.