Cracker Barrel's chief executive is packing her bags a year after the company's rebrand sparked a backlash so intense it made national headlines and caught the attention of President Trump.

The restaurant chain announced Monday that Julie Masino will leave in August, with David Deno - former boss of Bloomin' Brands - taking over. Masino's departure comes after a controversial rebrand that critics, including President Trump, said abandoned the chain's heritage. Trump urged the company to restore its original logo, and it eventually did.

Masino didn't issue a statement about her resignation, but Cracker Barrel's management thanked her for her tenure. She'll receive an estimated $4.6 million departure package, according to the company's 8-K filing. Cracker Barrel declined to comment, referring the BBC to the filing.

The leadership change follows a turbulent period for the chain, which runs nearly 660 country-themed stores and restaurants across 44 US states. Plans to simplify the classic logo and modernize store interiors sparked fierce resistance from loyal diners who argued the changes stripped away the brand's nostalgic Southern charm. The rebrand wasn't Cracker Barrel's first brush with controversy: in 2022, it faced online backlash for adding plant-based sausages to its breakfast menu.

Jo-Ellen Pozner, an associate professor at Santa Clara University's Leavey School of Business, said the leadership swap "seems to reflect the polarization many Americans feel today." She added that doubling down on conservative values may win back vocal loyalists but "paints the company into a corner." "Changing anything about the menu, decor, or branding at this point is dangerous, so there are few levers to attract new customers," Pozner said.

In his own statement on the transition, Deno paid tribute to Cracker Barrel's "deep connection with guests across generations." The company faces not just public scrutiny but financial struggles: shares fell more than 2% after Monday's announcement and are still about a fifth lower than this time last year. Sales are falling, customer traffic is slowing, and restaurants are grappling with soaring costs - all while chains like Denny's and IHOP compete for budget-conscious diners.

Masino will stay until October to help Deno through the transition, presumably to ensure the next rebrand doesn't involve replacing the rocking chairs with hoverboards.