Cracker Barrel CEO Julie Masino to step down after turbulent year
Julie Masino will leave her role as chief executive of Cracker Barrel in August, with former Bloomin’ Brands leader David Deno slated to take over, as the chain seeks to recover from a recent rebranding controversy.
Cracker Barrel announced that CEO Julie Masino will resign next month, remaining with the company in an advisory capacity until Oct. 9. The board named David Deno, former chief executive of Bloomin’ Brands and veteran of Best Buy and Yum Brands, as her successor effective Aug. 10.
Masino, hired in July 2023 from Taco Bell and Starbucks, had overseen menu additions and a redesign of the chain’s traditional interiors. In August, the company unveiled a simplified logo to improve visibility on signage and digital platforms, prompting immediate customer criticism.
"Cracker Barrel should go back to the old logo, admit a mistake based on customer response (the ultimate Poll), and manage the company better than ever before," a former president posted on a social media platform.
The company reversed the logo change within days, but same-store restaurant sales fell 5% in the fall and 7% in the quarter ending Jan. 30, 2026. Retail-store sales declined even more sharply. Despite the downturn, shareholders re-elected Masino as CEO in November, and sales began to stabilize, with a 2.6% decline in the quarter ending May 1 and an upward revision to the full-year revenue and profit outlook.
Masino also oversaw the divestiture of the Maple Street Biscuit Co. brand, which Cracker Barrel had acquired in 2019. Citi analyst Jon Tower described the leadership change as unexpected given the recent performance gains. Cracker Barrel shares slipped 2.7% in early trading following the announcement.