FILE PHOTO: U.S. President Donald Trump attends a meeting with South Korean President Lee Jae Myung (not pictured) at the Oval Office, at the White House, in Washington, D.C., U.S., August 25, 2025. REUTERS/Brian Snyder/File Photo

WASHINGTON (Reuters) -U.S. President Donald Trump became the latest public figure to weigh in on Cracker Barrel's decision to change its decades-old logo that has become the latest flashpoint on social media - and sent the company into damage-control mode.

The chain's decision to change its logo - removing the long-standing image of an overall-clad man known as "Uncle Herschel" leaning against a barrel - is the most recent in a series of dustups where an unexpected response has blindsided retail chains.

Anheuser-Busch's Bud Light sales slumped after it sent a can of Bud Light to a transgender influencer in 2023, and this summer, an American Eagle Outfitters ad campaign featuring actress Sydney Sweeney sparked backlash for that ad's use of the phrase "good jeans" as a play on genetics.

Trump on Tuesday joined a chorus of conservatives, including Donald Trump Jr., who criticized the restaurant chain's new logo that simply displays the chain's name against a barrel-shaped yellow silhouette, removing "Uncle Herschel" in an ongoing effort to revamp its brand.

"Cracker Barrel should go back to the old logo, admit a mistake based on customer response (the ultimate Poll), and manage the company better than ever before," he wrote on his social media platform. "Have a major News Conference today. Make Cracker Barrel a WINNER again."

Cracker Barrel has so far stuck to the new iconography, though it noted "Uncle Herschel" will remain on its menu, road signs and stores. The company, in a Monday post on its web site, said its fans have shown them "that we could've done a better job sharing who we are and who we'll always be."

"While our logo and remodels may be making headlines, our bigger focus is still where it belongs ... in the kitchen and on your plate," said the Lebanon, Tennessee-based chain, which opened its first store in 1969.

Cracker Barrel's shares slumped after the backlash last week, wiping out year-to-date gains, but were up 4.5% on Tuesday after Trump's post. The stock has lost more than half its value in the last three years as the company's sales have struggled to recover in the post-COVID pandemic period.

The stock swings wildly at times, as it has a high level of short interest. The company also has a relatively small number of outstanding shares.

The company, with a market value of $1.2 billion, did not immediately respond to a Reuters request for comment following Trump's remarks.

(Reporting by Juveria Tabassum, Bhargav Acharya and Susan Heavey; editing by David Gaffen and Maju Samuel)