Julie Felss Masino is the experienced business executive who currently serves as President and Chief Executive Officer of Cracker Barrel Old Country Store, Inc., a position she officially took over on November 1, 2023. Her hiring was a radical change to the popular Southern-themed restaurant chain, which is known to be a warm and cozy place with a historic logo.
Cracker Barrel experienced a significant modernization under her guidance, including a rebranding that was controversial and a series of multi-million-dollar store refurbishments, which reflect her willingness to change the brand to accommodate new generations without losing the heritage.
Quick Info |
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|---|---|
| Real Name: | Julie Felss Masino |
| Birth Date: | 1973 |
| Age (as of 2025): | 52 Years |
| Birth Place: | Nashville, Tennessee |
| Height: | 1.65 m (5 ft 5 in) |
| Husband | David Massino |
Early Life
Julie Felss Masino was born in 1973 in Nashville, Tennessee and had a Southern cultural background that influenced her values and leadership style. She has a Bachelor of Arts in Communications degree from Miami University in Oxford, Ohio, which has equipped her with strong skills in media and public relations.
Nevertheless, she was keen on increasing her knowledge base, so in mid-2023, she completed the Directors College program at Stanford Law School, a reflection of her dedication to professional growth.
Career
Julie Masino boasts more than 30 years of experience in some of the largest restaurant and retail brands, exhibiting her adaptability as a strategic thinker and leader. She worked at Starbucks (2002–2014) as Chief Marketing Officer of Starbucks China and Vice President of Strategy in the Americas and the EMEA.
Julie Felss Masino was able to develop her expertise in international branding and market development. She was the next president and CEO of Sprinkles Cupcakes (2014–2017), where she spearheaded extensive brand positioning and expansion.
Her career path went higher when she became president, SVP, and GM of Fisher-Price at Mattel (April 2017-January 2018). Masino later went to QTG Group in Taco Bell under Yum! Brands; she served as President of Taco Bell North America (2018–2019) and, later, as President of Taco Bell International (2020–June 2023).
She led rapid expansion, opening hundreds of new units around the world. Her extensive background in leadership would see her appointed as the CEO of Cracker Barrel (appointed in July 2023, assumed in November), where she also became a member of the Board of Directors.
Masino has led a radical rebranding and modernization effort, including the introduction of a text-only version of the traditional logo and the launch of the All the More campaign to renew Cracker Barrel to a new generation of consumers.
These modifications were part of a massive revitalization plan of upgrading stores totalling $700 million, designed to enhance the look and feel of the interiors whilst retaining the country-store heritage.
Although a few of the more nostalgic loyalists have taken a swipe at the makeover online, Masino was adamant in her defense of the changes, insisting that, although it was evolutionary, the move was all about relevance and customer value in the long run.
Social Media Presence
Julie Felss Masino is a professional who maintains an executive perspective on all social media platforms. Her posts are usually about company projects, such as the branding of Cracker Barrel, its partnership with artists such as Jordan Davis, and product development. Although not a very active content creator herself, her presence online shows a certain level of leadership and faithful adherence to brand storytelling, which she has applied to media and consumers.
Personal Relationship
Julie Felss Masino maintains a relatively low profile with regard to her personal life. Some sources state that Masino is married to an individual named David Masino, but there is no further information on her personal or family life available. She ensures that there is a clear distinction between her personal life and her work life so that her career leadership can be at the forefront and personal privacy maintained.
Julie Felss Masino Net Worth
Julie Felss Masino’s net worth cannot be confirmed, but it is evident that her compensation package is quite substantial due to her vast experience in executive services. We can assume that her salary and bonuses as the workforce leader in different Fortune 500 companies, including Starbucks, Taco Bell, Mattel and Cracker Barrel, probably make her a member of the high-income bracket. It is estimated, albeit unofficially, that she has a net worth of between 15 million and 50 million as of 2025.
I remember when NASA changed their logo back in the late 70s. The new logo christened “The worm” was god awful. The backlash was swift and furious. The result: the original was brought back. Some things are just too good and you should not go from outstanding to mediocre. Just because it’s new doesn’t make it better.
Julie needs to look into what happened to Coke when the changed to “The New Coke. Backlash, lost market share. Complete disaster!!
Coke didnit on purpose to introduce High Fructose corn syrup. Is there another agenda here?
Yes. I agree. Not only did it lose it’s flavor, but fan base. Now. Give me 2 types. Original, or cherry. Not new. Not sugar free. Not diet. Original Coke. The type you can use in a float, or mixe with something else.
If Julie still there in a year, I’ll be surprised. Don’t think that CB will be around in 2 years because of her. What a loser and a company destroyer..
Julie’s quote when taking over Cracker Barrel:
“Cracker Barrel is one of the most iconic brands in the history of American casual and family dining”
Another woke idiot doing their best to destroy what’s good.
THE REAL PROBLEM WAS HER WOKE STANCE, DEI AND LGTB NONSENSE. SHE AND A LOT OF OTHER CEO’S HAVE FAILED BECAUSE OF THIS AMORAL GARBAGE, INCLUDING USAA’S PEACOCK. YOU WOULD THINK SHE WOULD READ THE TEA LEAVES. GOOD GRIEF.
For many, the damage had already been done. CB’s statements are really all about damage control and attempts to placate angry customers. I don’t believe one word of the syrupy, back-handed apologies. All they’ve done is contextualize (and disguise) their new position in the language of their old position. They’ve not really addressed the truth in any kind of meaningful apology. Correcting the logo won’t correct the culture behind why they trashed it in the first place. In truth, I think that their apologetics made things worse, because corporate things that you can mention Uncle Herschel (or even keep him on the logo), pat us bumpkins on the head so that we will shut up and keep ordering our fried apples and corn bread. That’s not going to happen.
Focus groups and market research are so cheap and will tell you a lot about future plans. This sitution could have been avoided.
Given her past employment history (several 1-3 year positions) I believe she’s a corporate raider who is overdue (2023-present at CB) to move on.
Her degree in “Communications” is laughable- she didn’t “communicate” with her stakeholders, shareholders, or the public other than to say she knows better than the public what CB should be.
The CB Board of Directors would be wise to allow her the “opportunity” to change another well established brand and leave the Southern Restaurant Staple to be run by a true Southerner. The next CEO will have a cakewalk by simply turning the endeavor back to its roots.
Time for a change- past time.
BRAVO for your attempts to change the logo and update the stores, Julie. YOU NEVER SHOULD HAVE WALKED THEM BACK! As for the Trump family, get a backbone and tell them, “if you don’t like what we do here, DON’T COME HERE !!! You’re not welcome here anyway. And. WHATEVER you do, DON’T STOP SELLING ATOMIC FIREBALLS!
I’m with you all the way. And by the way, tell Sardar Bigliari, who thinks he’s Warren Buffett, to go to IHOP and then to hell!
She’s not gonna F**K you, man.
This is what people do when they’re godless. Without godly values, mankind is Hell bent on destruction.
Seems to me that is the business is doing great and stocks are up. Why change it. Its called old fasion southern restaurant. So lets modernize it with heartless, souless, lackless sign and make it look like Taco Bell with unconfertable seats. That way these fools will eat and get the hell out fast. This way we call fill seats faster and turn more profit. Start cutting cost by dropping people. Making the remaining works work harder. Toss in precooked crap and boom…. A business model we can sink out teeth into. Buy a clue.
i don’t go there any more each location food is different.