Podcast Summary

Podcast: The Glenn Beck Program
Episode: Ep 275 | Cracker Barrel CEO Finally Addresses ‘Woke’ Rebrand Controversy
Date: November 22, 2025
Guests: Julie Messina (CEO, Cracker Barrel), Doug Hizzell (Senior VP, Store Operations)
Host: Glenn Beck
Theme: Deep dive into the controversial “woke” rebrand and remodeling strategy at Cracker Barrel, public backlash, and the company’s response and future direction.

Main Theme Overview

In this episode, Glenn Beck confronts the CEO and Senior VP of Cracker Barrel about the company’s highly criticized attempt to modernize its image, which many customers saw as erasing cherished traditions and values. Amid cultural turmoil and accusations of going “woke,” Cracker Barrel’s leadership discusses what went wrong, addresses concerns over diversity initiatives and remodeling, and tries to set the record straight about the intent behind these changes. The conversation provides a rare, candid look at leadership grappling with public outrage, internal missteps, and the challenge of updating a beloved brand in polarized times.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Cracker Barrel’s COVID Aftermath and Operational Struggles

• Staffing Crisis:
  • Post-pandemic, Cracker Barrel lost many long-serving staff, particularly older employees hesitant to return (04:05).
  • Hiring was so dire, management had “SWAT teams” recruiting for any available workers (05:22).
• Menu & Kitchen Mishaps:
  • Inexperience and turnover, along with attempts to draw new guests with complex menu changes, degraded both food quality and service (07:21).
  • Doug Hizzell: “We built a house on sand. We lost sight of the base foundation.” (07:58)

2. Declining Performance & Need for Change

• Financial Pressures:
  • The company had suffered “five or six years of TSR decline—Total Shareholder Return,” not enough guests, and shrinking throughput (09:55).
  • Average check at Cracker Barrel was $15—much lower than competitors, necessitating volume over price (10:25).
• Consultants & ‘New Coke’ Moment:
  • Consultants were brought in to analyze guest loss and competitive position (13:20).
  • Glenn repeatedly likened the rebrand to the failed “New Coke” fiasco—abandoning what people loved (15:46).

3. Logo, Branding, and Public Backlash

• Intent Behind the Rebrand:
  • Julie Messina: “The intent was not ideological. It was not to put the old version of Cracker Barrel in a box. That was not the intent whatsoever… We messed up.” (15:46-16:03)
  • The simplified logo was just “one piece of a system”—aimed at digital clarity, not erasing tradition (17:01).
  • Iconic signage (“the old timer”) was never meant to come down; removal wasn’t practical or planned. (16:18)
• What the Outrage Meant:
  • Glenn argued it wasn’t really about logos, but tradition and values. “It felt like you were saying you didn’t care about that... not the intent.” (17:32-17:53)
  • Julie Messina: “I’m sorry for the misunderstanding. I regret it. I don’t want people to be mad at us. My job is to make people love Cracker Barrel, right? Not be mad at Cracker Barrel.” (17:53)

4. Remodeling Stores—Comfort or Sterility?

• Addressing Physical Comfort:
  • Guests complained stores were too dark and seats uncomfortable—CEO cites example of patrons regularly bringing stadium cushions (22:21).
  • Remodeled stores increased booths, soft seating for comfort, but some concepts tested didn’t fit the traditional ambiance, e.g., black-and-white décor (24:00–25:09).
  • Only four stores saw the controversial remodel; changes are being reversed or “painted brown” to restore traditional feel (25:09).

5. DEI, “Woke” Accusations, and Culture Wars

• Clarifying Political Intent:
  • Glenn asks pointedly about Diversity, Equity & Inclusion initiatives and whether Cracker Barrel embraced making political statements (28:54-30:22).
  • Julie Messina: “No, it’s pancakes… We’re not trying to make political statements.” (30:22-30:24)
  • Doug Hizzell: “The logo was the straw that broke the camel’s back.” (30:27)
• Disconnect and Cumulative Frustration:
  • The rebrand controversy amplified guest frustration already present due to years of poor service, bad food, and menu confusion (27:24–30:27).

6. The Emotional Toll & A Genuine Apology

• Messina’s Vulnerability:
  • When asked if she was surprised not to be fired:
    • Julie Messina: “I feel like I’ve been fired by America…” (37:46)
  • She described the pain of carrying responsibility for 70,000 employees and the importance of preserving the company for both staff and guests (37:53-38:50).

7. Restoring the Brand and Moving Forward

• Messina is adamant about returning to the core: food quality, hospitality, and the nostalgia guests cherish.
• Julie Messina: “We don’t want to move the doilies around. We want to make it comfortable... for you to bring your friends.” (34:00-35:02)
• The episode ends on the notion that while mistakes were made, Cracker Barrel’s leadership “missed the mark” unintentionally, and are committed to fixing it.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• Glenn Beck (On public outrage):
  “It felt like that to a lot of people, that you were just like, we don’t care about your values… And it—this is unfair to you—there was that one picture that was going around of the rainbow seats. That wasn’t you. That wasn’t part of this new deal. But was there DEI and all that crap going on in the company?” (27:24)

• Julie Messina (Apologizing):
  “Our guests have a right to be upset… We messed up. The intent was not ideological. It was not to put the old version of Cracker Barrel in a box. That was not the intent.” (15:46)

• Julie Messina (On backlash): “I feel like I’ve been fired by America.” (37:46)

• Glenn Beck (On cultural climate):
  “It feels like a corporate boardroom not understanding what people are feeling about the overall picture of their life.” (35:02)

• Julie Messina (On Cracker Barrel’s essence):
  “This is America’s story. This is our guest’s story… There’s nothing on the wall here that’s Cracker Barrel or the logo. This is Janice’s or Doug’s story.” (34:00)

• Doug Hizzell (On cumulative brand issues):
  “The logo was the straw that broke the camel’s back... From 2018 forward, we had frustrated them so many times with menu items. We had deleted horrible service, bad food. We couldn’t execute food out of the kitchen.” (30:27)

• Julie Messina (Setting the record):
  “I want to set the record straight. I want people to know that this is the brand they’ve always known and loved... when you walk in here, it feels like Cracker Barrel… The food you love that’s made by hand by people who care—it’s still here.” (36:44-37:29)

Key Timestamps

• 03:58 – Pandemic struggles: hiring, turnover, new menu stress
• 09:34 – Company’s financial/traffic decline explained
• 13:20 – The hiring of consultants & approach to revitalization
• 15:46 – Glenn confronts the CEO about the rebranding: “Can you walk me through how that happened?”
• 17:40 – Messina: “They were saying our values, our traditions. That’s what Cracker Barrel represents to us.”
• 21:50 – Remodeling intentions: “Was it the goal to get rid of all of this?”
• 22:44 – Memorable story: guests bringing their own seat cushions
• 29:07 – DEI and company culture addressed directly
• 32:35 – The “grandma’s house” analogy and emotional resonance
• 35:02 – Messina: “We don’t want to move the doilies around…”
• 37:46 – Messina: “I feel like I’ve been fired by America.”
• 39:15 – Glenn: “Most genuine thing I have heard from somebody in your position…”

Episode Takeaway

This episode stands out for its rawness and depth: a major American brand airing its wounds and seeking redemption after a cultural miscalculation. Glenn Beck doesn’t pull punches, but Julie Messina’s candidness, combined with a clear desire to preserve what customers love, reframes a national controversy as a lesson in humility, stewardship, and the challenge of change amid culture wars. The message: mistakes were made, but Cracker Barrel’s core—the food, the stories, and the feeling of coming home—remains unshaken.

Useful for:

• Anyone interested in branding, PR crises, culture wars, or corporate leadership
• Fans or critics of Cracker Barrel seeking the “real story” from the source
• Business leaders facing the challenge of modernizing beloved institutions