Taco Restaurant Branding for Taco Garage
This taco restaurant branding project for Taco Garage all started when our clients, Cindy and Rick Story contacted us to help them brand a new restaurant concept in Murfreesboro, Tennessee. Cindy and Rick already owned several successful Buffalo Wild Wings franchises, so they had pretty extensive experience with restaurants before they reached out to us.
They had some great ideas about what they wanted their new restaurant to be like. However, they wanted us to help them create a cohesive direction for all of their ideas that would be compelling in a restaurant-saturated market.
Their next step was to hire an amazing chef from Chicago to create a fresh taco menu for their new spot. Once the menu was underway, we started working on their brand direction.
Taco Restaurant Branding | Brand Direction
First, we started with concept development and internal research. We brainstormed three different directions that the brand could take. We created three brand boards to depict these three different ideas. Our concepts were "Taco Diner," "Taco USA," and "Taco Garage." High-fives to everyone who can guess which one Cindy and Rick picked.
The three names we came up with were just off-the-cuff distinctions for each of the brand boards, not actually names we were prepared to pitch for the restaurant. However, Cindy and Rick were super drawn to both the Taco Garage brand board and the name, so we kept both and got to work on a logo.
Taco Restaurant Branding | Logo Design
To start the logo design process for this taco restaurant branding project, we came up with a few logo options that would represent the Taco Garage brand. The brand direction we came up with was grungy and approachable.
Once we picked out the best option, we moved on to creating the rest of the brand support for Taco Garage.
Taco Restaurant Branding | Environmental Branding
Next, we worked on crafting the interior for the restaurant to make the brand felt by each customer who walked in the door. We wanted each customer to make a connection with the brand when they came in. When a customer makes a connection - a positive one - they are likely to return time and time again.
As we worked through the design of the interior, we addressed furniture, flooring, hardware, lighting, wall color, fixtures, installations and graphic design for the walls and floors. We didn't stop until we had selected each aspect of the interior.
To represent the Taco Garage brand in the interior, we needed to continue their mission to keep things casual, cool and uncomplicated.
We did this through concrete floors and custom-designed floor graphics to guide the customer through the space: to the order counter, to the drink station and then out into the dining area.
Other parts of the design were focused on the customer journey, too. A custom marquee sign showed drink specials in a grungy, "garage" way. Other installations with cheeky, taco-themed phrases organize the space.
Taco Restaurant Branding | Menu Design
Once we settled the customer journey through the restaurant, we got to work on the customer journey through the menu.
The Taco Garage vibe calls for a simple menu design. We created printed menus printed on order pads so each customer can dictate their order by hand. This also simplifies the communication to the kitchen.
Taco Restaurant Branding | Food Photography
Next, we did a few food photography shoots for Taco Garage. Taco restaurant branding and marketing projects are really strengthened by professional food photos. Showcasing your food is a really important way to promote your restaurant. For these photoshoots, we kept true to the Taco Garage brand by showing their fresh ingredients in an uncomplicated way.
Taco Restaurant Branding | Employee Attire
The simple choice for employee attire for this taco restaurant branding project was a shirt design with a simple, cheeky design. The tee shirt is recognizable, easy to wear and simple to give out to employees; the perfect choice for Taco Garage.
Taco Restaurant Branding | Website Design
For Taco Garage, the main goal of their website was to turn website views into restaurant visits. To carry this out, we prioritized user experience and kept it simple. We created an enticing site filled with directions to the restaurant and strong calls to action.
Taco Restaurant Branding | Marketing and Consulting
As the opening neared, we advised our clients on POS systems that could collect email addresses for an email marketing campaign and start a loyalty program.
Next, we started a launch marketing campaign to engage the community about Taco Garage's grand opening. After the opening, we maintained monthly marketing through social media management of live content, social posts and social ads.
Taco Garage was such a fun project to work on; it's an incredible restaurant with a strong brand we're proud of. Contact our team if you have an idea for the next big restaurant concept: we'd love to help you bring the brand to life.
