Cracker Barrel’s board of directors is down one member after a shakeup during its annual shareholder meeting on Thursday. The company announced that Gilbert Dávila, an independent director with a background in diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI), has officially stepped down after shareholders voted to approve nine out of ten of the company’s nominated board members.
Dávila, who joined the board in 2020, had been under scrutiny in recent months, partly due to concerns raised by activist investor Sardar Biglari. Biglari has been vocal about what he sees as a disconnect between Cracker Barrel’s leadership and its core customer base. He led a campaign urging shareholders to vote against Dávila and CEO Julie Felss Masino, arguing that recent decisions by the board had hurt the brand both financially and reputationally.
BREAKING: Cracker Barrel just OUSTED its “woke” board member after massive shareholder backlash.
DEI marketing executive Gilbert Dávila was singled out for his role in Cracker Barrel’s disastrous, tone-deaf rebrand. The message is clear: Customers are done with companies that… pic.twitter.com/c5AeYzaSQA
— Woke War Room (@WokeWarRoom) November 21, 2025
BREAKING: Cracker Barrel just OUSTED its “woke” board member after massive shareholder backlash.While Masino retained her position and earned re-election, Dávila did not. Following the shareholder vote, he resigned, bringing the board count down to nine members. Cracker Barrel issued a statement thanking Dávila for his five years of service, highlighting his contributions to the company’s strategic planning and his leadership on the compensation committee.
Still, Dávila’s exit is being seen by many observers as at least a partial victory for Biglari, who has been a longtime critic of the company’s direction. In a letter to shareholders dated November 6, Biglari said his campaign was “about saving Cracker Barrel from a board and management team that are out of touch with Cracker Barrel’s customer base.”
He criticized the company’s performance, calling out failed acquisitions, underwhelming store openings, and what he described as a failed strategic transformation plan that invited market ridicule and hurt the company’s stock.
BREAKING: DEI specialist Gilbert Dávila has RESIGNED from Cracker Barrel’s board.
I pressed CEO Julie Masino about whether DEI had crept into one of America’s most iconic brands.
Should Cracker Barrel's leadership change direction following the recent board member resignation?It seems the board IS listening to its customers.
Full interview TONIGHT at 6pm ET. pic.twitter.com/apzGr3Sncd
— Glenn Beck (@glennbeck) November 20, 2025
Two influential proxy advisory firms — Institutional Shareholder Services (ISS) and Glass Lewis — had advised shareholders to vote against Dávila. Both firms cited concerns with the company’s recent strategic decisions and questioned the effectiveness of the board under its current makeup. Glass Lewis also recommended a vote against Jody Bilney, who chairs the nominating and corporate governance committee.
Interestingly, neither ISS nor Glass Lewis advised shareholders to remove CEO Masino, despite Biglari’s criticisms. Cracker Barrel defended her and the rest of the board, accusing Biglari of launching a “costly and distracting” proxy campaign. According to the company, Biglari has led eight such efforts over the past 15 years.
Cracker Barrel also accused Biglari of using his ties to other companies, such as Steak ’n Shake, to make what it described as “false and misleading statements” about Cracker Barrel’s leadership.
Despite the back-and-forth, Cracker Barrel reiterated its commitment to staying true to its roots. “Our Board and leadership team have great appreciation for Cracker Barrel’s place as the front porch of America,” the company said in its statement, emphasizing values like family, hard work, and traditional hospitality.
The company said it is focused on improving guest experience, returning to growth, and increasing shareholder value. Whether the shakeup will help Cracker Barrel reconnect with customers and investors remains to be seen, but it’s clear the leadership is facing growing pressure to prove that its strategy will deliver results.
