South Africa, July 31 -- Cracker Barrel, a US casual dining and retail chain best known for its country-themed restaurants and gift stores, announced that Masino will leave the role on 10 August. She will remain as an adviser until October, while former Bloomin' Brands chief executive David Deno takes over the position.

The leadership change comes after the company spent the past year attempting to modernise its brand and revive sales. As part of the strategy, Cracker Barrel introduced a refreshed logo and updated restaurant interiors designed to appeal to younger customers.

The changes, however, were met with swift backlash from many of the chain's loyal customers, who argued that the new branding moved too far away from the rustic, no...