Why Fake Outrage Is a Real Business Concern

When one of the year’s hit films includes a scene where Superman is irked at a “monkey bot farm” spreading fake outrage about him, it signals something bigger than a funny movie moment: it captures a cultural zeitgeist. Online outrage, both genuine and manufactured, has become a part of modern discourse, and for brands, a potential business threat.

This dynamic played out recently for Cracker Barrel in “logo-gate.” According to a Cyabra report, fake social media accounts helped fuel a wave of online backlash over the brand’s updated logo with real-world consequences.

“The consumer backlash to Cracker Barrel’s new logo in August triggered a sharp decline in restaurant visits, with year-over-year traffic dropping by roughly double digits for most weeks following the announcement,” said R.J. Hottovy, Head of Analytical Research at Placer.ai. “However, the company’s decision to switch back to its classic ‘Old Timer’ logo may be helping to reverse these trends, as our visitation data showed a modest improvement during the final week of September.”

Placer.ai’s data shows that Cracker Barrel saw a noticeable dip in foot traffic through late summer 2025—down more than five percent the week after the logo change and roughly 10 percent year-over-year for most of September. Visits began to rebound slightly by the end of that month, suggesting that recovery may be underway.

To explore what brands can learn from this experience and best practices for responding when fake outrage turns into a real reputational risk, Modern Restaurant Management (MRM) magazine spoke with  Ioana Good, founder of Promova, a public relations and branding agency, Adrien Maines,  a Promova partner and Creative Director,  and Craig Miller, expert legacy business strategist and former Sonic Drive-In CIO, about strategies for restaurant brands to mitigate misinformation and protect guest trust.

How can operators differentiate between genuine customer feedback and coordinated "fake outrage" campaigns? Are there tools or processes they should be using? 

AM: Since context matters, a manual audit conducted by a human is optimal even if you plan to use it in tandem with an automated tool. It can be done by cross-checking your social media platforms. If you suspect a bot is being used, check their account age – bots often have a low level of engagement but quick activity across different topics. 

Additionally, there are tools like Brandwatch, a digital consumer intelligence platform that uses AI to help businesses monitor online conversations, analyze customer sentiment, and identify trends. Sift helps track suspicious behavior patterns on suspected accounts like detecting large volume complaints from unverified accounts.

CM: In an era when every customer comment can go viral, operators must learn to distinguish between genuine feedback that signals opportunities for improvement and coordinated “fake outrage” campaigns designed to erode trust. Manufactured outrage—whether politically motivated, influencer‑driven, or competitor‑planted—can distort perception and distract teams from authentic customer needs. The goal of this guide is to equip operators with the tools, processes, and judgment to separate real feedback (the signal) from synthetic outrage (the noise).

How can operators leverage brand loyalists to counteract fake outrage?

AM: Utilizing your loyal audience to tell your story is a great way to defuse the fake outrage noise. You can do this by directly asking your lists for feedback through surveys, ensuring that the responses come from genuine customers with real experiences.

AI-powered bot networks can now manufacture brand backlash, and the disturbing trend is that this is increasing.

Platforms like SurveyMonkey can help gather direct feedback from customers, which in turn can be compared to what’s being posted online. Then share this feedback on your social platforms.

How much of a concern should fake outrage be for brands?

IG: Fake outrages are a major concern for brands, given that recent data shows that nearly 30 percent of online reviews are fake. AI-powered bot networks can now manufacture brand backlash, and the disturbing trend is that this is increasing.

This artificial amplification can lead brands to make costly strategic decisions based on false signals, as we saw with Cracker Barrel's logo reversal after bot-driven backlash. The key is implementing advanced detection tools and baseline sentiment tracking to distinguish authentic criticism, which requires a response, from coordinated attacks that often warrant non-engagement.

CM: Fake outrage is a symptom of hyper-amplified digital discourse, not necessarily a crisis. Strong brands—those with clarity, consistency, and customer connection—tend to weather it best. The key is not to chase every headline, but to reaffirm what you stand for and who you serve.

When facing public backlash, whether genuine or manufactured, what are the best ways a brand can regain its story to control the narrative and minimize negative impact? Is the best strategy to wait it out and be silent or to be upfront and responsive?

IG: The best approach is strategic responsiveness, not silence. But the approach entirely depends on whether backlash is genuine or manufactured. For authentic criticism, brands should use proactive and transparent messaging with real-time feedback monitoring to address legitimate concerns. For bot-generated outrage, the focus should be on direct communication with core consumers rather than engaging with fake accounts. The key is having a brand ambassador (within your organization and/or a trusted PR practitioner) implement and monitor advanced detection tools and baseline sentiment tracking to distinguish authentic criticism, which requires a response, from coordinated attacks that often warrant non-engagement.

Never stay silent—instead, communicate transparently with authentic stakeholders while building defenses against coordinated attacks.

The contrast between Cracker Barrel (which reversed its logo after bot-amplified backlash) and American Eagle (which used real-time data to confidently continue their campaign despite social media noise) illustrates that success comes from distinguishing between manufactured outrage and actual business impact. 

Never stay silent—instead, communicate transparently with authentic stakeholders while building defenses against coordinated attacks.

In the event of a negative reaction, such as Cracker Barrel's logo change, what internal processes should operators have in place to quickly assess the situation and make next steps?

IG: Operators should establish a rapid assessment framework that combines real-time data analysis with human judgment to distinguish authentic criticism from manufactured outrage. First, implement advanced social listening tools that can detect coordination patterns, posting behaviors, and account authenticity. Second, establish baseline sentiment tracking with core consumers before any crisis hits, so you have a benchmark to measure against when negative reactions emerge. Third, create a cross-functional crisis team including marketing, legal, PR, and data analytics that can quickly analyze whether backlash represents genuine consumer concerns or coordinated bot activity. Finally, develop a decision matrix that weighs real business impact against social media noise.