Why So Many Restaurants Are “Blanding” Even When Customers Don’t Want It

There are few things as nostalgic as spotting a Cracker Barrel sign peeking over highway hills on a summer road trip. For many, it wasn’t just the food—the chicken and dumplings, the country fried steak, the pancake breakfast—but the experience: rocking chairs out front, mismatched frames on the wall, and a sense of quirky Americana you couldn’t find at Panera.

That’s why the chain’s first redesign in 47 years hit such a nerve. Gone is the rustic barrel in the logo, swapped for a sleek wordmark that looks closer to Golden Corral. The dining rooms have been stripped of their cozy clutter. The entire aesthetic has been scrubbed into something far more modern, minimal, and gray.

And people are furious. Within 30 minutes of announcing the change, Cracker Barrel had hundreds of angry comments. Now there are thousands, with celebrities like Jelly Roll weighing in: “This ain’t it, y’all.”

The brand finally addressed the controversy several days later on August 25. “If the last few days have shown us anything, it’s how deeply people care about Cracker Barrel,” the chain wrote. “We’re truly grateful for your heartfelt voices.” The company added that the things fans love about the restaurants won’t be changing—“rocking chairs on the porch, a warm fire in the hearth, peg games on the table, unique treasures in our gift shop, and vintage Americana with antiques straight from our warehouse in Lebanon, Tennessee.”

But instead of calming the outrage, the response only stirred it up again. Many fans pointed out that they still hadn’t addressed what they’re most upset about—the updated floors, walls, and finishes that stripped away the cozy, unmistakably Cracker Barrel look they loved.

“They totally Jaguar'd it and threw out the heritage of their brand,” said brand strategist Reilly Newman of Motif Brands. (He’s referring to Jaguar’s 2024 rebrand, which dropped its iconic imagery for a stripped-down logotype.)

Yes, the design was dated. But, as Newman pointed out, “The iconic nature of it that has become embedded in its audience and American culture is worth something.”

And that’s the heart of the backlash: Cracker Barrel isn’t just a restaurant. For millions, it’s a memory.

Cracker Barrel Isn’t Alone

The move fits into a broader trend critics are calling “blanding”—when brands trade personality for clean, minimal sameness.

Chains like Starbucks and Panera have already gone through similar redesigns. But those transitions were softer: Panera still has fireplaces, Starbucks continually tweaks instead of overhauling. Cracker Barrel’s total scrub feels different.

When these companies “bland”, “[they] go against what consumers truly want,” Newman explained. “In today’s Experience Economy, consumers seek experiences. Since most industries recognize this, it also means people desire themes. Themed environments had been neglected, but the pendulum is swinging back—malls are reviving, brands like Abercrombie and Build-a-Bear are seeing gains, and experiential dining is resurging.”

So why would Cracker Barrel—and so many others—strip away the very quirks that made them beloved?

Why Brands Are Going Bland

It’s Cheaper

As with most things, money is the first culprit.

“Standardized, minimalist designs offer the most economical path to scale,” said Andrea DeRosa, CEO and Co-Founder of Avenue Interior Design. “They’re cheaper to roll out initially and require minimal maintenance across hundreds of locations.”

Custom rocking chairs and walls full of antiques are costly to install and maintain. Minimalism streamlines operations.

“Many chains have essentially chosen operational predictability over distinctive character,” DeRosa added.

Joshua Wood, CEO of the restaurant and hospitality marketing agency CJ Digital, agreed: “While it would be nice for every restaurant to have a design that truly stands out, achieving something both unique and scalable is rarely financially realistic.”

And yet, Wood suggests minimalism isn’t all bad. In recent years, he said, too many restaurants focused on Instagrammable gimmicks—cocktails in bathtubs, neon quotes, over-the-top presentations—at the expense of food.

“A minimalist approach could signal a return to what restaurants are truly about: enjoying high-quality food you can’t make at home,” he said.

Still, as one Cracker Barrel fan commented: “I’ve never thought the food was good—it’s mediocre. I go for the vibes and the country store.” Even if the food improves, the stripped-down vibe may not keep people coming back.

It’s Easier to Scale

Minimalism also makes expansion faster.

From a corporate perspective, uniform interiors help with brand consistency. One streamlined look is simpler to copy-paste across hundreds of locations.

But what businesses see as efficiency, customers often feel as soullessness.

“While this might seem cookie-cutter to loyal patrons, from a corporate perspective, this uniformity streamlines operations,” said chef Jessica Randhawa of The Forked Spoon. “But it comes at the expense of the charm that made these places beloved in the first place.”

It’s a Generational Shift

There’s also a generational calculus at play.

“The Boomers, who grew up with and celebrated the quirky Americana personality of these restaurant spaces, are aging out,” Randhawa said. “Younger generations—Gen X, Millennials, Gen Z—value speed, digital ordering, and environments that feel clean, streamlined, and Instagram/TikTok friendly.”

That helps explain Cracker Barrel’s push into TikTok reels, pop-up concerts, and celebrity partnerships. Minimalist spaces photograph well, even if they feel less cozy in person.

But here’s the paradox: younger audiences are also fueling a nostalgia revival. Vintage malls, 2000s fashion, themed dining—these are making a comeback. Which raises the question: is Cracker Barrel chasing the wrong trend?

It’s Psychological

Design sends subtle cues about how a space should be used.

“The design language itself has become a subtle form of crowd control,” DeRosa said. “What we’re seeing is the physical manifestation of the ‘fast casual’ philosophy extending beyond food to environmental psychology.”

In other words, fewer couches, fewer fireplaces, fewer outlets—it’s all engineered to keep customers moving.

It’s More Digital-Friendly

Logos, in particular, face new pressures.

“Today, logos need to live digitally,” said Bruno Benedini, co-founder at Taillight branding agency. “The original Cracker Barrel mark, with its intricate figure, barrel, and tagline, simply doesn’t scale well on a phone screen. Details blur into an orange, blobby clutter. Simplification makes sense for usability.”

But, he warned, “What works digitally doesn’t always translate to emotional resonance. At a cultural moment when people crave nostalgia, the danger is that by streamlining too much, these chains trade away the very soul that made them beloved.”

The Consequences of Blanding

So where does this leave us? The benefits are obvious: lower costs, faster rollout, easier branding. But the backlash is also telling.

“A gray, minimalist look is safe,” said Golan Haiem, CEO of Destination Wagyu. “It won’t offend anyone, but it also doesn’t give people much to remember. When you strip away the quirks, you strip away the feeling that dining is an experience and not just a transaction.”

That, experts warn, is the real brand risk.

“Chains like Cracker Barrel are walking a fine line,” Benedini added. “Modernizing helps attract new customers, yet it risks stripping away the very quirks that made the brand distinctive.”

Or as Newman put it more bluntly: “If I were a betting man, I would bet that the Cracker Barrel audience—the ACTUAL people who enjoy and go to Cracker Barrel—will reject this rebrand.”

The thousands of angry comments online suggest he may be right.

Because in an era where customers are craving experiences, nostalgia, and personality, the irony is this: by trying to stay relevant, Cracker Barrel may have made itself forgettable.