Fast food restaurants are not only the most common in the world but also the most popular. A huge number of people use their services every day. Some chains are international, others are local, but all have the same goal: to feed the population in comfortable conditions. Yes, so that visitors still want to come to a cozy little place and sit at a table with a hot pizza, hot tacos, flavored chicken, or a delicious sandwich.
And to do this, you must create the right atmosphere, supporting it with tasty food and a pleasing identity. It helps fast-food restaurants to stand out in a sea of competitors, attract customers and make a steady profit. However, this is not the only common feature of the participants in this review. There’s another – colorfulness. They all strive to turn their logos into something inimitable that will provide them recognition and whet the appetite of others. These are tones such as orange, reds of all hues, and yellows.
We suggest looking at the logos of food companies from this point of view and starting with simple forms, where there are few details. This approach will help us understand visual perception’s effect on a person. That is, why do we choose a particular fast-food chain? After all, everywhere they serve delicious and original dishes. What is the secret?
McDonald’s
The McDonald’s logo is the unconditional leader of this rating. This chain has a simple sign of visual identity. With a minimum of colors, it attracts many visitors: it is known in America and outside. The super minimalist style has made this fast-food restaurant number one worldwide: it has many of its locations and franchised outlets. And on each is a big “M” with a rounded top instead of sharp corners. The sleek twin arches of pale yellow color are associatively reminiscent of the side of a hamburger, french fries, scrambled eggs, and a bun. As they now say, it is a “delicious” emblem. However, the single bold letter conveys the founder’s last name, Ronald McDonald. Its extended bottom indicates the company’s desire to stand firm.
Subway
The Subway logo contains two multi-directional arrows. They are both shaped, graceful and sharp, with precise angles. One is at the bottom of the “S,” and the other is in the upper “Y” area. Each side of the name of the world’s largest fast-food restaurants has an individual color. The “Sub” lettering is in pastel yellow letters, while the word “Way” is in light green. In general, the designers paid very much attention to them because it is a text emblem, and there are no other elements in it. And the color palette is very thoughtful: yellow is close to the shade of baked goods, and green resembles spinach. Despite the simplicity of the visual identity, it is very advantageous for the chain, which serves popular dishes. The capitalized characters with rounded edges aid this.
Wendy’s
The specialty of these eateries is burgers. They are served with different toppings and different volumes. And since one of the components of most of these dishes is ketchup, Wendy’s logo resembles it. A thin strip of “tomato sauce” on a white surface forms a semi-linked inscription. The letters are handwritten, italicized, bold, and rounded. The color is naturally deep red. The softened ends of the glyphs make the emblem appealing and welcoming. Despite its brevity, such an identity works well for the network’s broad appeal, evoking trust and warmth in visitors.
Chick-fil-A
The Chick-fil-A logo, of course, contains the image of a chicken because chicken is the main ingredient of these fast-food restaurants. The logo is mostly textual: there are limited graphics in it. But despite its simplicity, it is very memorable. The artists turned the first letter of the company name into a funny chicken head. The drawn bird turned out attractive and original because the “C” has rounded shapes, smooth transitions, and soft lines. This glyph has a curve – a loop, complemented by a beak and a scallop. The rest of the characters are also similar to handwritten glyphs. They are arranged evenly and closely related to each other. The final “A” is uppercase. All elements of the logo are in bold red lines. The background is white.
Carl’s Jr
The American restaurant chain Carl’s Jr. has a friendly and elegant logo. It consists of a calligraphic inscription. The cursive letters are black, wide, and neat. Almost all have conjunction. Only the “r” and the “l” are missing, which is connected to the “s” not in one but in two points at once, giving rise to an inner loop. To the left of the “C” is a yellow star. It is as if she is holding on to it, smiling in a friendly way. Each ray has a thin red outline, which adds to its three-dimensionality. It is a simple and timeless emblem that conveys a sense of hospitality.
Nando’s
Nando’s logo comes from South Africa. That’s where the fast-food chain, which specializes in chicken dishes, is headquartered. And the brand’s visual identity says it directly with the rooster above the name. The bird is depicted in the style of a clay toy. It stands up straight. Although its head is turned to the left, it looks straight ahead, as all feathered birds have lateral eye placement. In addition, a high crest and large tail are drawn. The front of the rooster is made in the shape of a double heart: red inside, black outside. The lettering underneath is italic and lowercase. The letters are streamlined, rounded, and grotesque.
Arby’s
The American restaurant chain Arby’s serves sandwiches with different kinds of toppings. Its logo is well known in the U.S., as it is ranked second in the ranking of similar chains operating in the country. Its logo reflects the professionalism and historical roots of its signature cuisine. The color palette is red: both the lettering and the stripes, which resemble squeezed ketchup, are made with it. At the same time, it is a hat serving as the background for the brand name. The text is typed in a large serif typeface. The letters are in lower case, except for the first character from the name. It’s also a simple logo, focusing on minimalism.
Swiggy
The Swiggy logo appeared in 2014 and quickly gained popularity because the online platform for ordering and delivering food in a short time is our consumer niche. Her symbol is comparable to the superhero badge, as it is made in an identical style. This is what the designer “S” looks like – the first letter of the restaurant chain’s name. It is monoblock, rounded at the top and pointed at the bottom, which resembles a geotag on an electronic map. This comparison is very beneficial because it fits into the tasks of the fast food chain as if indicating its location. A bright color also facilitates this – the icon is painted in orange. Intra-letter gaps are narrow and vertically elongated. Under the icon is the name of the food delivery service, typed in a grotesque style.
Sbarro
The specialty of these fast food restaurants is Italian pizza, as you can tell from the Sbarro logo. The chain is quite popular in the U.S., so it operates as a franchise. Its visual identification is simple and straightforward: a triangular slice and the brand name. That is all. This was enough to attract the attention of visitors. And the designers approached the logo very originally: they placed the pizza vertically, pointing down. At the top of the authors indicated the city and year of the pizzeria, and in the middle – its name. It is in uppercase font with black letters. There are no serifs anywhere. The wide side of the triangle is colored red, and the bottom – is green. Together with the white background, they repeat the colors of the Italian flag.
Dairy Queen
The Dairy Queen logo is characterized by simplicity and clarity. It includes the abbreviation “DQ” and a geometric figure resembling an eye. In the center is the abbreviated name of the fast-food chain. The white letters on a red background look very effective, as they are visible. The inscription is slightly slanted to the right side. Both symbols are connected. They are large and bold. Next to them at the top and bottom are two curved stripes: orange and blue. They have one sharp side and the other blunt side, with a diagonal cut.
KFC
The popularity of this American restaurant chain is incredibly high, so the KFC logo is familiar to everyone. Its main element is the portrait of the founder Harland Sanders. It occupies almost the entire area of the circle. The man is against a dark red background (carmine shade) and smiling in a friendly way. At the same time, he looks professional, as he is dressed in an apron with three lines and in a white shirt with a bow tie. His glasses, beard, and noble gray hair add to his solidity. Nearby is a three-letter “KFC” inscription. It is white, wide, with bold letters and a slight slant to the right. The logo is also not complicated because it consists of three elements: the name, a portrait of the founder, and a circle.
Pizza Hut
Logo Pizza Hut perfectly helps to trace the movement of the public catering chain’s identity from simple forms to complex. It involves three basic elements: a circle with arched strips on the sides, a miniature hat, and the name, placed in two lines. The most popular pizza chain in the world, they denote a pizza with appetizing crust on the edges, the national heritage of the cuisine the company relies on, and the originally designed name. They are all artistically stylized: done with careless but confident strokes. The text is divided into two parts and arranged diagonally. The letters are uneven and different in size. The logo’s color palette is a contrasting combination of red and white.
Burger King
The Burger King chain did not overload its logo with elements: it has a rather minimalistic logo but is clear and multilingual. The designers used the name as a basis to get a successful combination of the idea and its implementation. They divided it into two lines and put it between two semicircles as if it were stuffing. Thus they got a really royal burger – big, tall, appetizing. Despite the minimalism, the concept works well because now the American company has become an international chain of fast-food restaurants. The color of the emblem is as close to the food palette as possible: muted orange, pastel red, and beige.
El Pollo Loco
Mexican cuisine, which is represented by this fast-food chain in Europe, is encrypted in its identity. Therefore, the logo El Pollo Loco was made in bright, searing colors: red and yellow mustard. And the shape of the letters exactly imitates the red chili pepper, which has an unusually spicy taste. Therefore, the glyphs are elongated, curved, and pointed. The inscription consists of the name of the restaurants, which are divided into three parts. The shortest is the first. It has one element underlined by a stripe split at the end. All words are capitalized. The text is encircled by a curved border of the same red color. It has a flat bottom and a convex top repeating the configuration of the background figure painted in subdued yellow.
Food Darzee
This company has many admirers because the Food Darzee logo is well known to customers who love to eat but watch their figures. The fact is that this chain of restaurants from India specializes in healthy and delicious food with delivery. She considers it the key to well-being, vivacity, and vitality, as she uses only natural products. And her menu promotes weight loss. The result of such a concept is an emblem in the form of a key drawn with thin lines. A complex geometric figure consists of an octahedron with an elongated leg, at the end of which two oblique stripes are drawn. The whole composition is painted in golden color. At the top and bottom are the motto, web address, and location of the health food delivery service. The inscriptions are made in a capital font without serifs.
Domino’s Pizza
The logo of Domino’s Pizza reflects the concept that the founder of the pizzeria chain laid down at the beginning. He wanted to indicate the number of restaurants with dots on the knuckles. But later, they were opened so many that the number did not fit on the dominoes – they appeared to be about 17,000. Therefore, the owner abandoned the idea and left everything as it was originally. Now the simple emblem is known all over the world. The minimalistic composition in blue and red colors contains a domino knuckle with three dots: one at the top and two at the bottom. Underneath it in two rows is the name. It is in geometrically proportional font with roundings harmoniously combined with right angles.
Dunkin’ Donuts
In this case, the visual identity is more complex – in form, composition, and color. It advertises the main specialization of this restaurant chain – the sale of coffee and desserts. Therefore, the Dunkin’ Donuts logo contains a coffee cup in front of the text. It is slightly tilted to the left, and above it, you can see jets of improvised steam, indicating that its contents are very hot. The background is a vertical rectangle with rounded corners. The picture is made with jagged strokes of red, and the company’s name is written in the middle of the glass. A large version of the name is on the right. The top word is red, and the bottom is purple.
Taco Bell
The Taco Bell logo is an example of a medium complexity identity in a list of fast-food restaurants. It is a Mexican brand that has become world-famous for its national cuisine. The emblem has three key components: the name, the bell, and the tower aperture in which it is located. The visual identity elements are colored in blue, pink (a shade of fuchsia), and yellow. The bright palette is good for attracting the attention of potential visitors and serves as a tool to popularize the network. The lines with which the design is made are smooth. White stripes are also present – they denote highlights and reflections. At the bottom is the name, typed in a grotesque font and aligned on both sides. The letters are wide, capitalized, and bold.
Jack in the Box
This chain is popular in the United States but little known outside of it. At the same time, it has more than 2,000 fast-food outlets and finds high demand among the local population. The Jack in the Box logo consists of two trapezes connected to each other. One is dark red (crimson), and the other is light red (scarlet). They are combined in such a way that they form the side corner of the improvised box. It is this rib that divides it into two fragments. The “Jac” is marked on the left and the “k” on the right. All letters are white and handwritten, without serifs. At the bottom is the rest of the name of the fast-food restaurant chain. It is in lowercase font, reminiscent of programming language characters. The glyphs are flat, small, and rounded.
TacoTime
The TacoTime logo identifies the country in which this chain represents cuisine. Her specialty is Mexican dishes. The best personification of Mexico is a prickly cactus and the hot sun. They are depicted on the emblem. Still, it is quite a multi-component image consisting of small details: for example, a large number of sharp rays. They surround the solar disk, from which a white line separates them. The cactus is also multi-part: it has a central trunk and two branches. The company name has a long stroke below the bottom. It emphasizes the word “TacoTime,” tapering toward the end. The letters and the bottom bar are circled in a double outline: white and yellow.
Baja Fresh
At first sight, the logo of Baja Fresh seems to be simple, but if you look closer, you can see a lot of details. For example, the black and white mosaic emphasizes the line, the unusual font, and clarifying information. This chain cooks and sells Latin American food – specifically, Mexican Grill, which is indicated on the horizontal rectangular plaque next to the checkerboard pattern. The main inscription consists of the name in different colors: the word “Baja” is emerald, and “Fresh” is red. The letters are sloppy as if written hastily with a trembling hand.
Togo’s
Togo’s logo looks like a stamp. It is complex in structure but simple in color. Orange predominates, with white elements visible in the background. This shape and color are not accidental. The fact is that this restaurant chain offers all sorts of sandwiches, and their toasted color is exactly the same as this warm hue. The medallion consists of the name (it runs across the circle on a separate strip) and several clarifying inscriptions. The letters are bold, large, chopped, and elongated vertically. The text around the perimeter of the frame is in small, upper-case type.
Chipotle
The international restaurant chain Chipotle’s logo contains one of the main ingredients of Latin American cuisine – chipotle peppers. It is located in the center of the circle and painted with slightly curved stripes. In this way, the designers showed that it is soft and ready to eat. The drawing is done in white and placed on a brown background. This contrast makes the image distinct. Around the centerpiece on a wide red stripe is the restaurant’s name and the qualifying phrase, “Mexican Grill.” The chain serves Mexican food, cooked mostly on the grill. Miniature dots separate both parts.
Popeyes
The visual identity of the Louisiana food chain is also quite complex. The Popeyes logo is shaped like a seal, centered on a single “P.” It’s diagonal, muted orange, with a miniature protrusion at the top. Beneath it is a dark red shadow that looks like the letter is hanging in the air. The white middle is taken in a red ring that says “Louisiana” and “Kitchen.” In between are drawn heraldic signs, fleur-de-lis. The heraldic figures are painted orange. Under the medallion is the name of an American fast-food restaurant chain. It is in a jumping font with glyphs of different heights. This makes the text informal and contrasts sharply with the upper stern lettering.
Hooters
With a specific serving of dishes, the American restaurant chain put its marketing zest into the identity. Indeed, in the title, two meanings are played at once: female breasts and an owl. They are both reflected in the Hooters logo. It shows a night bird with huge eyes shaped like prominent parts of a female body. The basis for them is the double “OO.” The owl is colored grey, white, and two shades of brown. The color of the lettering is orange. It is set in a sans-serif capital font. The letters are bold, large, and rounded, with a barely noticeable dark border around the edge. The text is superimposed on the picture, so it overlaps it.
A&W
The A&W logo is complex, with several versatile elements. It is designed so that each successive component is the background for the next. That’s why the details in the foreground are miniature, and those in the background are large. For example, the smallest is the “&” icon. The ampersand is on the “A” and the “W,” not in between. It is soft, smooth, and resembles a handwritten “E.” The lowercase letters, on the other hand, are stern and smooth. These glyphs slope slightly to the right, are provided with sharp serifs, and overlap the figures behind them. Two semicircles are drawn behind them. All of the listed elements are in a horizontal oval. Below is the slogan. The color palette is understated and includes several shades of beige, from peach to brown.
Noodles & Company
The Noodles & Company fast food restaurant chain has the most complex logo. It has four key components: two lines of the name, a noodle pan, and an oval that combines them. What’s interesting, the ampersand is done in the Old English manner. It’s perfect for styling the sign after the noodles served in the restaurants of this American chain. The letters are chopped, bold, and white.
