Fox News host Brian Kilmeade advised his colleague Jesse Watters “to go easy on Trump” after he claimed the president didn’t have much of a hand in Cracker Barrel’s decision to restore its logo, even after the commander-in-chief urged the company to do so.
The southern food chain’s decision to revamp its old-timey logo — featuring “Uncle Herschel” in overalls leaning against a barrel — was met with swift backlash from conservatives earlier this month, who accused the company of “going woke”.
Trump weighed in on the controversy Tuesday, encouraging the restaurant chain to restore its old logo in a Truth Social post. “Make Cracker Barrel a WINNER again,” he wrote. Hours later, Cracker Barrel announced it wouldn’t go through with its rebrand — an emblem in signature orange color with just the restaurant’s name.
On Wednesday’s episode of The Five, Watters refused to give the president “credit” for the company’s decision to reverse course.
“I’m not giving Trump credit for this, I’m giving Fox credit,” the Fox News host said. “We covered this story for a week, and he watched it for a week, and then he basically, you know, hit the winning shot okay?”
“Mr. President, nice job, but come on, it was all us. All right? But think of the powerful combination of Fox and Trump. It’s the biggest one-two punch the world has ever seen,” Watters added.
Kilmeade then offered his colleague some “career advice.”
“You’ve got to go easy on Trump. A little too tough on him right there. I think, just back off,” he joked.
“Did I go to a nine?” Watters asked, chuckling.
“Yeah, you did. 9.8!” Kilmeade added. “I just don’t want you to plummet any further.”
Last year, Cracker Barrel’s CEO Julie Felss Masino announced the restaurant chain planned to rebrand to become more “relevant” after a post-pandemic slump.
In an August 18 press release, Cracker Barrel unveiled that it was revamping its original 1969 text-only logo, “which is now rooted even more closely to the iconic barrel shape and word mark that started it all.”
MAGA became incensed over the move, accusing the restaurant chain of going “woke.” Conservative podcaster Benny Johnson called the new logo “absolutely horrible.” Florida Congressman Byron Donalds posted on X that“no one asked for this woke rebrand.”
Following the uproar, Cracker Barrel lost $94 million in value on the stock market in just one day, adding fuel on the MAGA firestorm.
Donald Trump Jr., the president’ eldest son, then added his two cents, wondering on X: “WTF is wrong with @CrackerBarrel??!”
By Tuesday, it was the president’s turn. Trump took to Truth Social, suggesting the restaurant chain “go back to the old logo, admit a mistake based on customer response (the ultimate Poll), and manage the company better than ever before.”
Hours later, the Trump administration was sharing opinions from an official account. “Go woke, go broke,” the White House X account wrote, posting a photo that swapped out “Uncle Herschel” for Trump and exchanged the restaurant’s name with “America First.”
By Tuesday evening, Cracker Barrel announced it had changed course.
“We thank our guests for sharing your voices and love for Cracker Barrel,” Cracker Barrel said in a statement on X on 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’s always been – and always will be – about serving up delicious food, warm welcomes, and the kind of country hospitality that feels like family.”
The president then congratulated the restaurant chain on its decision. He wrote on Truth Social: “All of your fans very much appreciate it. Good luck into the future. Make lots of money and, most importantly, make your customers happy again!”
The Cracker Barrel controversy marked the latest brand to feel the effects of MAGA. American Eagle, however, was able to feel the positive effects.
Last month, conversations around the clothing brand’s punny “Sydney Sweeney Has Great Jeans” ad campaign consumed the internet, with online critics accusing the ad’s word choices of evoking the language of eugenics – the racist and discredited belief that the human race can be improved through selective breeding. Fox News similarly carried out relentless coverage to the controversy.
Trump also weighed in. After learning Sweeney was reportedly a registered Republican told reporters: “Now I love her ad.” He later took to Truth Social to hammer home an anti-”woke” message: “Being WOKE is for losers, being Republican is what you want to be.”
After the president’s post, the company’s stock soared 24 percent.
