---
title: "Why did Cracker Barrel change its CEO?"
url: https://burnaze.com/article/c522d840-37a2-4b0e-a1c1-72f645535c09
source: "Restaurant Business"
original_url: https://restaurantbusinessonline.com/financing/why-did-cracker-barrel-change-its-ceo
category: "Family dining"
industry: "Restaurants"
segment: "Family dining"
topics: ["People"]
published: 2026-07-31T14:20:37.000Z
modified: 2026-10-31T14:43:46.195Z
image: https://cdn.informaconnect.com/platform/files/public/2026-07/background/TWIR%207-31-26.png?VersionId=A11N89SfRkPlLpuDtFqwhI3HegLvhS3L
---

# Why did Cracker Barrel change its CEO?

**TL;DR:** Cracker Barrel replaced its CEO Julie Masino with Dave Deno one year after a logo controversy. The move is discussed in the Restaurant Business podcast The Week in Restaurants.

*originally published in Restaurant Business on 2026-07-31. [Read the original](https://restaurantbusinessonline.com/financing/why-did-cracker-barrel-change-its-ceo).*

## Story

Why did Cracker Barrel change its CEO one year after its logo controversy?

This week’s episode of the Restaurant Business podcast The Week in Restaurants looks at the family-dining chain’s decision to replace Julie Masino with Dave Deno. Maybe more specifically: We try and make sense of the move.

Rich Shank from Technomic also discusses Cracker Barrel on Technomic’s Take.

Jersey Mike’s went public. We examine the offering and what it says about the brand.

Starbucks’ earnings came out with some strong sales and traffic growth. What does that say about CEO Brian Niccol?

And as always, Senior Tech Editor Joe Guszkowski has Tech Check.

*Members help make our journalism possible. Become a Restaurant Business member today and unlock exclusive benefits, including unlimited access to all of our content. Sign up here.*

Restaurant Business Editor-in-Chief Jonathan Maze is a longtime industry journalist who writes about restaurant finance, mergers and acquisitions and the economy, with a particular focus on quick-service restaurants.

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## Entities

- QSR (sector)
- Starbucks (company)
- Restaurant Business (publication)
- Jersey Mike's (company)
- Jonathan Maze (person)
- Brian Niccol (person)
- Joe Guszkowski (person)
- Cracker Barrel (company)
- ceo change (topic)
- Julie Masino (person)
- Rich Shank (person)
- qsr earnings (topic)

---
Originally reported by Restaurant Business (https://restaurantbusinessonline.com/financing/why-did-cracker-barrel-change-its-ceo). Summarized by Burnaze (https://burnaze.com/article/c522d840-37a2-4b0e-a1c1-72f645535c09).