How to Make a Cafe Logo

Drinking a cup of coffee is one of life’s great pleasures and has become an everyday habit for more than 60% of Americans. Few among us can resist the charms of the rich dark liquid that jolts us awake throughout the day. But coffee’s popularity can be owed to more than the fact that it’s a simple caffeine kick. The desire for small daily indulgences has driven the expansion of the cafe sector in the U.S., which has grown 7.8% since 2020. Today, people care about the origins of the drink, its unique flavors, and the environment in which they drink it. That is a lot to communicate in your brand identity, let alone in one logo.

In this article, you’ll learn how cafe logos are different from other sectors of the restaurant industry and, most importantly, how to conceptualize, design, and implement your own perfect cafe logo.

Why is a cafe logo important?

Cafes hold a special place in the hearts and minds of consumers. More than any other eating establishment, cafes inspire repeat customers, daily drop-ins, and brand loyalty. To stand out in such a crowded market is no small feat. You’ll need a logo and company name that plays to your strengths and values. What does your cafe do best? What are your unique offerings? A strong cafe logo design will help answer these questions and define your brand, which is an important way of attracting customers.

What to consider when making a cafe logo

It’s exciting to brainstorm logo designs and business names, but before you begin the creative process, it’s essential to have certain key elements in place ahead of time.

Budget

It’s hard not to make a joke about “bean counters,” but every business knows the importance of balancing the books and budgeting for expenses. Earmarking money for logo design and branding is just as important as budgeting for professional imported roasting equipment. The goal is for your logo to connect with customers on an emotional level, so it’s crucial to get it right.

For logo design, you can expect to pay, at the very least, between $250 and $500, according to a recent article in Forbes. However, the price can skyrocket into the thousands if you opt for a well-known professional designer. The most significant factor impacting price will be the cost of the designer. Freelancers typically charge hourly fees, so the more developed your vision is, the fewer mockups and iterations it will take and the more money you’ll save. 

Timeline

We know you have a brilliant logo idea percolating and want to get it done yesterday. But good graphic design takes time, whether it’s a minimalist symbol like the blue bottle of Blue Bottle Coffee or a frilly illustration of a steaming cup of joe. Most marketing agencies estimate three to four weeks to develop a custom logo that captures your brand and that can be used on different platforms and backgrounds. For small to mid-sized businesses, a month allows for client meetings, research, sketching, and revisions. If you decide to go the DIY route and use a logo creator online, the amount of time will depend on your familiarity with the design software and how much bandwidth you can devote to the process. It could be as quick as a few hours or as long as several weeks if you are juggling other pressing tasks.

Whichever way you approach it, logo design should be the top priority of your branding strategy. Remember, you can’t make business cards, employee t-shirts, embossed tumblers, or any fun swag until you have your own logo.

Customer Base

It’s essential to know your target audience. Are your customers the type to drive out of their way for single-origin coffee, or do you cater to the blended matcha latte crowd? Search “coffee house customer memes” in Google, and 50 million results appear. The point is that cafes cater to nearly all ages and demographics, and people have their favorite spots that they identify with. To help you hone your vision, we created a guide to the different kinds of cafes and the unique challenges of each business model. We also asked successful cafe owners for their advice on narrowing down your concept.

How to make a cafe logo

One glance at a great cafe logo can conjure up the aromatic smell of roasted beans, the light and creamy texture of frothy milk, and the friendly vibe of baristas. But where do you begin? We’ll walk you through the process in five key steps, from conception to completion. 

Start with your brand

To connect with customers, your logo should stay true to your brand and focus on what you do best. You want your cafe to be one that people can always rely on to deliver, to be a constant in the neighborhood. If you’ve already established a brand identity, the logo should fit seamlessly into the mix, utilizing your cafe’s signature color palette and typography. In other words, don’t reinvent the wheel! For those who need help building or fine-tuning their brand, think of your target market constantly throughout the process, and ask yourself the following questions:

• What is your mission statement or philosophy?

• What kind of impact are you hoping to make on your community?

• How are you different from the competition?

• What kind of atmosphere are you hoping to establish?

• Why do you want to open a cafe in the first place?

Your answers to these questions will provide critical insight that can improve your business. For more tips, check out our comprehensive guide to cafe branding.

Build your vision

Cafes are known as creative spaces where people write their first screenplay, tap away at computers for work, and connect with others around them. Many famous intellectuals and artists — J.K. Rowling, Picasso, Bob Dylan — spent their days sitting at cafe tables. It’s no surprise that cafe logos reflect that creativity; you’ll see whimsy, personality, and unusual color schemes. Even the largest corporate chains push the boundaries in logo design to entice customers, incorporating illustrations (Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf), quirky monograms (Peet’s), and Greek mythology (Starbucks).

Think of interesting visuals and custom illustrations that convey your unique personality. Snow bunny coffee in Portland, Oregon, for instance, showcases a striking blue bunny silhouette. According to a KISSMetrics report, brand recognition is increased by 80% when the right colors are used. Recently, font psychology has been getting more attention, with studies focusing on the emotional reaction fonts illicit in viewers. Consider creating a vision board of design elements that speak to you. Begin your research with our guide to 20 of the best restaurant logos and find inspiration with our list of winning restaurant names. 

Last, it’s essential to remember scalability, as your logo will appear in many mediums and sizes, from social media to signage. Additionally, you’ll want to make sure your logo is as effective in black and white as it is in color. It’s best to anticipate all scenarios so that your logo is as adaptable as possible.

Choose a cafe logo design avenue

Hire a professional graphic designer

The cafe sector is a saturated market, and finding a way to stand out is challenging. A professional designer will likely bring years of expertise to your logo design and can act as a sounding board for your creative ideas. When all it takes is seconds to make a first impression, there is a lot of riding on this one graphic. On the lower end of the range, rates typically run $250 to $500 for a basic logo from a freelance designer or crowdsourcing platform. If you chose a large agency, the price could run into tens of thousands, but you’ll likely get many variations and additional brand assets. A typical timeline falls between a few weeks and a month to allow for discussions, brainstorming, and revisions. 

Design it yourself

The allure of having a free cafe logo is enticing. You’ll have complete control over your design and save money – but it will cost you in time. If you’re a novice designer, consider enlisting a friend or co-worker with design skills to help. The other option is to purchase creative rights to high-resolution images or graphics from a stock agency like Shutterstock, where extended licenses run from $60 to $100 per image. Photoshop will come in handy, as you can put your creative touches on whatever image you purchase.

Use a template or generator

Online logo makers such as Canva or Tailor Brands feature a variety of pre-designed templates, including cafe logo templates, that can be customized with design tools. This removes the guesswork from nitty-gritty details like spacing, fonts, and color schemes. The pros of using a pre-designed template are that it’s quick and cost-effective, usually requiring a small monthly membership fee. But the downside is that the pre-made logos can seem inauthentic to your brand and, well, bland.

Edit and iterate (and get other people’s opinions!) 

While there is no “right or wrong” in design, soliciting feedback from friends, staff, and customers is a must. It is one of the quickest and most efficient ways to improve your logo. To get the most out of the input, be clear that you want honest feedback, listen to it without judgment, and ask specific questions about what they like and don’t like about your logo. Consider using a free collaboration tool like Miro to streamline the process.

Additionally, you’ll want to run an in-depth competitive analysis of the other neighborhood cafes to learn how to differentiate and what design elements work. This will also help you avoid designs that remind guests of a competitor around the block.

Copywriting & Trademark 

As with any art form, the one thing you bring to the table is your unique perspective. Your logo reflects your products, services, and values. It’s important to take that extra step to protect it. 

Logos are eligible for trademark and copyright registration, but most businesses opt for trademarking. Trademarking with the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) prevents other companies from using your logo and gives it nationwide protection. The first step is to search the USPTO’s database for existing trademarks that resemble yours, as the USPTO can reject logos that are too similar to others. The application process is relatively straightforward, but it can be time-consuming, taking up to a year to receive approval, so it’s best to start the process as soon as your logo is finished.

Pro tip: if you trademark a logo in color, it will only be protected if displayed in those exact colors. If you submit your logo in black and white, you can add or change colors without filing a new application.

What makes a great logo?

In the cafe sector, great logos are all about the celebration of the experience rather than the beverage alone. Here are three examples of memorable logos that stay true to their brands. 

Black Coffee Northwest

The crown in the logo of this Black-owned family business signals to customers that their coffee is the ultimate in quality and a force to be reckoned with; A portion of their proceeds helps fund youth outreach programs. The tagline “Grounded in Excellence” underscores this message.

Intelligentsia

This Chicago-based chain’s mission statement is “to make extraordinary coffee an agent of change.” Its striking logo hints at these lofty goals. The outspread wings of an illustrated raptor feature a coffee cup in the center with an all-seeing eye gazing up at a star. While the logo is immediately recognizable, it holds hidden layers of meaning ripe for pondering over a cup of coffee. 

Congregation Coffee

This small coffee shop in New Orleans has a playful and colorful logo that communicates its location and fun vibe in one fell swoop. The purple ‘gators of the bayou not only bring to mind Mardi Gras (one wears a derby hat) but evoke the most iconic logo in fashion: the Lacoste crocodile. The cafe’s name epitomizes the allure of a coffee house: to gather together. 

Tips for creating a perfect cafe logo

• Make it clear and easy to read – simplicity speaks volumes. A simple logo can often be remembered after a glance and works well in various sizes and applications. 

• Keep it true to your brand – A logo doesn’t exist in a vacuum. It’s almost always presented and displayed in the context of your broader brand: on coffee cup sleeves, etched on store windows, gift cards, and more. Starting with a clearly defined brand identity will make the logo design process more manageable.

• Make it memorable – strong coffee deserves a strong logo. Coffee customers are known to be passionate about their favorite cafes and will resonate with logos that have a touch of the irregular. Use unique imagery, play with different fonts, or inject a little wit or layered meaning into your design.

• Avoid being too trendy — from cold foam to whipped coffee, every month brings a new trend. Following the latest fads will lead you to stray from your brand identity. 

In such a competitive market, no one said creating a memorable cafe logo would be quick and easy. But if you follow these simple yet essential steps, you’ll be well on your way.

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