"Can someone please explain the real substance of this controversy to me? We don't have this chain up here, and I find it hard to believe there is so much weeping and gnashing of teeth over a logo and decor change, something restaurants have been doing forever."
Many restaurants and brands do not stand out and are not known for a particular thing. And they can change with the wind, so to speak.
But then, there are some that are so known for this or that, that taking away the things they were built upon does seem to be unwise.
And Cracker Barrel is one of them. I don't think it's so much their logo. When I personally think of that chain, I can't even picture their logo. But I do think of their food, their decor and their shops. When you take away those things, it ceases to be "Cracker Barrel" and begins to be just another restaurant. I question that wisdom.
When Chick Fil A starts opening on Sundays, it's all over.