Menu Design

MIAD Academic Project

In one of my MIAD courses, I was challenged to design a restaurant menu that established a clear and cohesive brand identity using only typography, color, and texture—no photography or illustration. For this project, I created Red Wagon, a farm-to-table barbecue concept that blends rustic warmth with modern simplicity.

To bring the brand to life, I researched existing barbecue menus, built a mood board to define the atmosphere, and developed a logo and visual system. I carefully curated typography choices to reflect the restaurant’s approachable yet crafted style, created hypothetical menu items that fit the farm-to-table theme, and designed a layout that balanced clarity with personality. Color and texture were applied strategically to enhance the rustic barbecue aesthetic without overwhelming readability.

Impact: The final design resulted in a functional, visually appealing menu that communicated Red Wagon’s identity through a purely typographic and textural system. This project sharpened my ability to create brand cohesion under creative constraints, reinforcing how thoughtful design choices can shape a restaurant’s entire dining experience.
To address this design challenge, I undertook a series of actions. I began by conducting thorough research into existing barbecue restaurant menus and developing a mood board to define the atmosphere of "Red Wagon." From there, I curated appropriate typography, developed a logo for the restaurant, created hypothetical menu items that fit the farm-to-table barbecue concept, and organized the menu layout in a user-friendly manner. I also strategically utilized color and texture to enhance the menu's visual appeal and reinforce the restaurant's brand identity.

As a result of these actions, I was able to effectively create a hypothetical menu for the "Red Wagon" restaurant that clearly represented the type of establishment I envisioned. The final menu design successfully established a cohesive visual system using only typography, color, and texture. It effectively communicated the farm-to-table barbeque concept through its design choices, resulting in a visually appealing and functional menu that met the requirements of the class assignment.