Cracker Barrel, a popular restaurant chain, has announced that its CEO, Julie Masino, will be stepping down next month. Masino will stay on as a company advisor until October and will be replaced by David Deno, a veteran of the restaurant and retail industry.

Background

Masino took over as CEO of Cracker Barrel in 2023 and attempted to revamp the company’s image with a new logo and modernized restaurants. However, the redesign was met with backlash from conservative critics who accused the company of embracing radical left-wing politics and promoting supports abortion rights and pediatric gender treatments. The controversy led to a decline in foot traffic and revenue for the company.

Despite the challenges, Masino survived an activist investor fight last November, and the company has since seen an improvement in its financial performance. Cracker Barrel reported better-than-expected revenue in its most recent quarter and raised its outlook for the year.

Original reporting: KEYT (Ventura/Santa Barbara) — read the source article.