Cracker Barrel CEO Julie Felss Masino is finally hitting the bricks following last year’s failure of her disastrous woke rebrand, which was frantically abandoned after intense backlash from loyal customers, mockery by the media, a stock plunge, hundreds of millions of dollars lost in market value, and numerous calls for her ouster.
David Deno, who most recently served as CEO of Bloomin’ Brands, which owns Outback Steakhouse, will replace Masino on August 10, says Cracker Barrel.
For some bizarre reason Cracker Barrel is letting her hang around in an advisory capacity until October 9 they say, “to ensure a smooth transition.” I’m thinking the only reason to let this toxic gal hang on would be contractual reasons.
Her firing comes following less than three years at the helm, during which regular customers revolted against the company’s attempts to update the eateries by ousting the beloved overalls-clad Uncle Herschel and revamping restaurants without their trademark nostalgic wall decorations.
Following intense backlash from longtime customers and even President Trump, Cracker Barrel reversed the changes and restored its folksy charm – ultimately sending the stock back up.
It has been almost a full year since the Lebanon, Tenn.-based chain reversed the rebrand. It’s surprising the embattled chief executive has remained in her position as long as she did.
Cracker Barrel shareholders booted DEI marketing executive Gilbert Davila off the firm’s board earlier – but spared Masino despite an activist campaign by major investor Sardar Biglari, who accused them both of years of mismanagement.
In early 2025,following her changes, Cracker Barrel’s stock was cratering.
Five days after it initially defended the rebrand, Cracker Barrel reversed course.
During an earnings call Masino admitted the rebrand was a mistake and pledged to bring back Uncle Herschel and the nostalgia around the brand.
She’s lucky Uncle Herschel didn’t push her down the porch steps.
If I created an ad for Cracker-Barrel it would look similar to the above illustration showing Uncle Hershel sitting in a rocking chair on the front porch, sipping a Bud Light while patting that beer company’s original mascot, Spuds MacKenzie. Aunt Jemima would walk out the door with a steaming stack of pancakes while Uncle Ben sits on the steps whittling and the Land ‘O Lakes Indian Butter gal passes around a platter of hush puppies and chicken wings.
Masino is an example of the old Southern maxim: “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.”
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Who is Ralph J. Suarez? Whoever he is he forked over $2,790 for two full-page ads in the Fernandina News Leader demanding that the City Commission, the City Manager and Code Enforcement resign.
In his ad is tells them: “RESIGN NOW” adding in all capital letters: “Cease and desist the destruction of our island. We must put an end to the socialist, deep-state Communists running and ruining our city now!!”
He also includes a list of demands saying: “Stop skyrocketing property taxes, stop paid parking, stop runaway development, stop hidden taxes to our citizens, bring affordable taxes back, and replace our lost treasures like the Maritime Museum, historic Atlantic Seafood, shrimping industry, and other small-town treasures lost.”
With the exception of Paid Parking and taxes, many of his demands are beyond the control of the City Commission, although they can certainly influence items such as Development, and affordable housing.
In actuality Mr. Suarez’s demands are mild compared to the left’s beliefs that everyone should get a guaranteed income, a free house and a pony.
Mr. Suarez is obviously passionate in his beliefs and desire to generate and improve conditions for residents of Fernandina and is willing to put his money where his mouth is. He didn’t ask for donations to help pay for his ad nor did he include contact information.
He could probably be more effective either running for office himself or financially backing a candidate or voter coalition that will help satisfy his wish list. If nothing else he certainly got voters’ attention and provided food for thought.
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A Guy With A Lot To Say: Anyone is welcome to comment here no matter their political leanings providing they refrain from profanity and vile insults toward others.
In the last three or four years I haven’t censored or booted anyone, until last week.
Ironically the guy shown the door was Nassau County Community Press weekly columnist Jerry Turk, a one-trick donkey who who regularly goes on lengthy and repetitive anti-Trump tangents in his column. I eliminated his third, fourth and fifth comments here. Readers have previously been asked to limit responses to three, but in his case, I made an exception…two was all anybody could handle.
In addition the angry and humorless Turk’s total word count in his five tirades far exceeded my entire commentary last week. In the future I suggest he use his own column in the Community Press weekly publication to attack me, counter my opinions and those of readers here.
In the comments I did approve Turk called me a “self-important blowhard”, “massively stupid”, “mindless”, “silly” and “childish”. And that was only the first two paragraphs of his first one.
His third comment, which I didn’t approve, continued his penned assault on me and my opinions and then went on to insult readers who commented here earlier while spewing more of his anti-Trump blather. The name-calling directed at me doesn’t phase me. But blanket insults toward readers is where I draw the line.
His deleted comments read like a man on the verge of a nervous breakdown. He didn’t use profanity, but by deleting them I saved him and his family a great deal of embarrassment. He should seek therapy to help release his rage.
Mike Lednovich, a former City Commissioner and current editor of the left leaning city propogandist online Fernandina Observer, is more reasonable than Turk. Lednovich and I have never agreed on anything, and I have been less than flattering to him in this space. But I give him credit for being polite and not shriekingly outrageous in his commentaries.
Last Tuesday evening at Fernandina American Legion Post 54 he approached a table where I was sitting with friends and cordially chatted with us. He was there for the Post’s trivia session while we were there for our weekly “Grumpy Old Men” meeting, an informal group of whiners, complainers and alleged experts on almost any topic.
Jerry Turk is still welcome to comment here but brevity, tolerance and originality would be refreshing. And limit yourself to two please Mr. Turk.
BTW Dave,
Had you been at the “We the people” meeting with Jay Collins, I believe you change your mind about Byron Donald’s.
Dave, congrats on your cartoons, often very funny, generally well done. However, putting Democrat donkey ears on a figure you suggest represents me clearly shows how little you have researched me and how incredibly ignorant you truly are. Mr. Scott, you and your followers complain endlessly about my opinions. However, you can’t intelligently deny the FACTS I present, which I research and point out; those facts are supposedly why you, as you say, “censored” my lengthy responses- lengthy, yes, no doubt- like the endless list of accomplishments pointed out by your follower, accomplishments that are mostly executive orders, NOT LAW. EOs are easily overturned by courts or the next occupant of the Oval Office. Accomplishments which I told your lackey follower I appreciated as well. However, y’all clearly do not understand the difference between EOs and LAWs, or even why our Constitution exists; that is incredibly sad. That said, it is long past time I take the advice of an old friend, Mr. Clemmons, when he said, and I do paraphrase. “Never argue with fools or stupid people; they will simply drag you down to their level and then beat you with experience.” I’d strongly advise you to check your overinflated ego, but do have a nice day.
Keep on, keeping on. I know a great realtor
Thank you for reducing the anti-Trump drivel from Turk. He allows our great POTUS to live in his head so deeply I wonder if he can do anything else. I subscribe to the electronic version of the Community Press but I absolutely refuse to read his columns. I choose to read only support of our POTUS, and the members of his administration after the four years of the Senile Buffon Joe “Brandon” Biden.