Cracker Barrel board member Gilbert Davila is facing scrutiny after the restaurant chain unveiled a new logo and interior redesign that drew criticism from customers.
The changes replaced the company’s traditional imagery with a simpler modern design, a move some see as part of a broader cultural shift within the brand.
Davila joined Cracker Barrel’s board of directors in July 2020 and is also among its top individual shareholders.
He is the president and CEO of DMI Consulting, a firm he founded in 2010 that focuses on diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) and multicultural marketing strategies. His professional biography on the company’s website highlights his expertise in embedding multicultural perspectives into corporate operations.
Davila previously worked at The Walt Disney Company as vice president of global diversity and multicultural market development, and before that held senior roles at Sears & Roebuck Company and Coca-Cola USA. He also co-founded the Alliance for Inclusive and Multicultural Marketing under the Association of National Advertisers.
Conservative activist Robby Starbuck questioned Davila’s role on the board in a recent video criticising Cracker Barrel’s direction. He linked the restaurant’s rebranding and new aesthetic to what he described as a long-running effort to prioritise progressive values.
Neither Cracker Barrel nor DMI Consulting have publicly responded to the criticism.
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