Design Concept–MCAD Spring 2023
The Brunch Club: a conceptual restaurant for Minneapolis
Problem to be solved
I have a plant-based diet, and one area of socializing with friends that has been harder since I changed my diet is breakfast foods and restaurants.
Solution
Design a vegan-friendly restaurant and it’s assets that offers all-day breakfast options so people with marginalized diets (gluten-intolerant, plant-based, etc.) and their friends can easily dine out together and still enjoy indulgent treats.
Naming
The Brunch Club
A cheeky nod to the name of the cult classic movie The Breakfast Club, but also a clear declaration of what customers can find at this restaurant: brunch.
Logo Ideation
I wanted to focus on incorporating plants into the logo, in an effort to hint at the menu options that would be available.
I played with a few variations, including two more “minimalist” logos (but got feedback that they looked a bit like lotion or skincare brands); one that could include an illustration of a Bloody Mary, which is synonymous to brunch for me, as a midwesterner; one inspired by a font that reminded me of a neon sign or the 80’s; and one as a nod to that almost 2010’s-ubiquitous badge style, which reminded me of the beloved Sota Clothing brand.
For the final version of the logo, I used a different herb (e.g. sage, parsley, dill, etc.) on each letter of “Brunch” as a way to incorporate that concept of “plant-based” foods.
Aesthetic and environmental design
To play into the plant-based menu and juxtapose the “neon” looking typography in the logo, the aesthetic of the restaurant would lean into “natural” elements and textures, like wood and metal.
The color palette of the restaurant would lean heavily into greens alongside and have an accent orange color, which can also be easily implemented using staining on wood, or the selected wood tones of the building and assets.
Menus
The menus would be printed on thick, textured paper, and the brunch menu would be fastened to a wood block, or clipboard.
The drinks menu would be removable, for sharing or closer inspection, and could be edited and placed in a bar space as a stand-up menu with alcoholic options on one side and non-alcoholic options on the other.
Coasters and Growlers
As another touch of a “natural” element, there would be wood coasters with the logo etched and painted into them.
Customers that dine at The Brunch Club could not only buy a Bloody Mary for their meal, but they could buy the house-made plant-based Bloody Mary mix in a growler (similar to coffee or cider growlers that are popular across Minnesotan Breweries and coffee shops!)
There is an expansion opportunity here if customers like both a “spicy” and “mild” mix.