The History Behind Cracker Barrel's Controversial Mascot Uncle Herschel

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Culinary mascots might seem like a good idea to their creators — cuddly, weirdly sexy, or just plain strange characters with which to associate hungry brands — but they often end in chaos. They literally killed Mr. Peanut. And the country-themed chain Cracker Barrel made amber waves when it moved to disappear its own spectral entity from its own logo.

Cracker Barrel is a chain steeped in secrets, and the illustrated man rendered in shades of mustard is no exception. He has come to be known as Uncle Herschel over the years. The company's website does commemorate a real Uncle Herschel, a relative of Cracker Barrel's founder. Depicted lounging with one elbow draped on the old country store's titular barrel, the cartoon's muse is actually described as a hardworking traveling salesman with an intimate knowledge of the American South's cozy general stores.

"After his retirement, Herschel brought the long-standing tradition of being a good neighbor to each and every Cracker Barrel store," the site reads. It seems plausible enough that the real Uncle Herschel could have also been the inspiration for the image, but it does contradict other tellings of the story behind Cracker Barrel's logo that position the drawing as a representation of a memory. Regardless, the company retired Uncle Herschel once more in 2025 after nearly a half century of metaphysical employ.

Uncle Hershel stans took to social media to demand his return. Some simply doubted the new look's aesthetic merits, while others considered this a ruinous event. Cracker Barrel's peers even chimed in in earnest. The company responded in a four slide Instagram post after the days-long barrage.

"If the last few days have shown us anything, it's how deeply people care about Cracker Barrel," the message begins. It also assures fans that Uncle Herschel's image will still adorn its menus, road signs, and stores. "He's not going anywhere — he's family," the slides continue. The company also took pains to mention everything that would remain the same, which does include the food, but does not include its interiors. You can, however, recreate Cracker Barrel's look in your own kitchen. You can still even collect merch featuring Uncle Herschel to complete the transformation. Just don't even think about ever changing it again one day.