Cracker Barrel Allegedly Released a Memo Instructing Employees Not to Talk About the Logo

Almost as quickly as Cracker Barrel announced its logo change, removing the "old timer" leaning against a wooden barrel, it shared on Facebook that it would revert to the original design. But, in the time that it took to make that decision, executives may have been scrambling to address all of the customer complaints. So much so that, according to a post on Reddit, Cracker Barrel issued a memo to restaurants instructing them not to talk about the logo.

In the memo, restaurant managers are given "talking points" on what to say and what not to say to customers and employees about the logo change. The memo also tells employees how to act if the media enters a location and tries to talk to them about the logo change. It's no secret that the logo caused a stir on the internet, and apparently, the corporate office for Cracker Barrel was concerned about its image in its locations across the United States.

In the Reddit post, the alleged memo instructs restaurant managers to tell employees and guests that the company's "values haven't changed." They are also told to tell guests they are happy to hear their feedback. And, most importantly, Cracker Barrel employees are not to talk to the press about the logo at all.

In fact, the memo says, if employees are "ambushed" by the press, there is a simple script they can recite.

Per the memo, employees should say, "I am not an authorized spokesperson for Cracker Barrel. You can direct your inquiry to the company's communications team, and contact information is on our website. Thank you."

The memo also says not to "ad lib" anything along with that line to the press if managers or other employees are approached by the media. It's not clear if the memo is legitimate, but it was posted by a user named CB_LoveHate, who appears to have made the account just to post the memo. It's their only post on Reddit, and it could have been their way to act as a sort of whistleblower in a way.

On another post in the Cracker Barrel subreddit, some users shared theories that the plan to announce a logo change and then go back to the original was a PR stunt meant to ramp up business and interest in Cracker Barrel. Maybe no one will ever know for sure if that's what happened, but some believe that Cracker Barrel executives planned the outcome all along.

"I think it was an extremely well executed PR campaign," one user commented on the thread. "It was getting fake outrage from the beginning."

Someone else wrote, "Probably not. That being said (and many celebrities know this) there's no such thing as bad publicity."