Cracker Barrel has quietly removed the Pride page from its website as it has faced intense fury over its short-lived rebranding effort.
The restaurant’s formerly named “Culture & Inclusion” page, which included its “LGBTQ+ Alliance,” has been renamed to “Culture & Belonging,” which states, “At Cracker Barrel, welcoming people has always been at the heart of who we are. When we take care of one another, we are able to take even better care of the people who walk through our doors.”
A representative for the Tennessee-based chain told Fox News that it recently made changes to its business resource groups, which included a pro-LGBT alliance as well as categories for other identities and ethnicities.
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“In connection with the company’s brand work,” the statement to Fox read, “we have recently made updates to the Cracker Barrel website, including adding new content and removing of out-of-date content.”
The spokesperson continued, “Several months ago, the company also made changes to our Business Resource Groups that now focus all sponsorships or events on our corporate giving initiatives: addressing food insecurity, supporting community needs through food, and reducing food waste.”
Prior to the bipartisan rejection of Cracker Barrel’s minimalist rebrand, conservative activists Chris Rufo and Robby Starbuck called out the “Old Country Store” for its participation in LGBT-themed initiatives.
Starbuck touted the quiet shift as a “major victory” and called for more action from Cracker Barrel:
What’s left for @CrackerBarrel to do:
• Tell us you will only donate to causes that the majority of your customers find unifying.
• Send a communication to employees that ERG’s have been disbanded and instead all Cracker Barrel employees can join a single employee group… https://t.co/tupcnPhXXk
— Robby Starbuck (@robbystarbuck) August 28, 2025
For context, in 1991, Cracker Barrel boasted a corporate policy stating any employees who didn’t demonstrate “normal heterosexual values” would lose their jobs, Fox News reported. In total, 11 employees were fired under the rule, sparking nationwide protests.
The southern comfort restaurant chain then began shifting toward pro-LGBT views.
In 2014, for example, it pulled all “Duck Dynasty” products from its stores after family patriarch Phil Robertson made comments expressing support for a biblical view of marriage as a lifelong union between one man and one woman.
And in 2024, Cracker Barrel sponsored the Nashville Pride Parade and even unveiled a line of rainbow-colored rocking chairs — an icon for the brand — to commemorate Pride month.
All of this comes as the company has faced severe scrutiny online for a logo redesign that eliminated the “Old Timer,” the elderly man featured in the restaurant’s famed logo, and announced new dining rooms would be whitewashed and much more minimally decorated.
The company’s stock tumbled 14% and the brand lost some $100 million in value in a matter of days. Ultimately, after even President Donald Trump weighed in on the branding kerfuffle, Cracker Barrel reversed course.
“We thank our guests for sharing your voices and love for Cracker Barrel,” the company said in a statement Tuesday evening. “We said we would listen, and we have. Our new logo is going away, and our ‘Old Timer’ will remain.”
“At Cracker Barrel,” it continued, “it’s always been — and always will be — about serving up delicious food, warm welcomes, and the kind of country hospitality that feels like family. As a proud American institution, our 70,000 hardworking employees look forward to welcoming you to our table soon.”
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