Restaurant rebranding that recaptures marketshare

A hand with yellow nails holding a Costa Coffee cup, with a colorful, graphic design and a straw, against a red background.
A circular pattern of yellow lines emanating from a central point, resembling a radiant sunburst on a black background.

For established restaurants—whether it’s your original location or a growing handful of units—there comes a time when what used to work stops working. Maybe the look feels tired. Maybe the message has blurred. Maybe the market has shifted, and you’re no longer top of mind. That’s where rebranding comes in—not as a fresh coat of paint, but as a strategic reboot grounded in insight and ambition.

We help single-location icons and small multi-unit brands uncover what’s no longer connecting—and build a brand that’s ready for what’s next. Through interviews, audits, and on-the-ground research, we trace where the brand has been, what still holds value, and what needs to evolve. The result? A rebrand that feels true to your roots, while reigniting relevance and setting the stage for growth.

Restaurantrebranding expertise

Rebranding isn’t just a facelift—it’s a full reset grounded in insight, strategy, and intentional change. This suite of services is designed to uncover what’s working, fix what’s not, and rebuild the brand to better connect with today’s guests and tomorrow’s goals. From research to rollout, it’s everything needed to relaunch with clarity and confidence.

  • We take a hard look at how your brand is showing up—from signage to social, from uniforms to menus. Paired with guest perception insights, we identify where expectations are being met, missed, or misunderstood, giving you a clear map of your brand’s current reality.

  • We evaluate your brand’s position in the local and regional landscape, identifying gaps, threats, and missed opportunities. This gives us the context needed to evolve in a way that’s both relevant and distinct—not just different for the sake of it.

  • We recalibrate your brand’s purpose, promise, and personality so everything points in one clear direction. Whether we’re refining or redefining, we craft a strategic core that supports everything from daily operations to long-term expansion.

  • We evolve your look, language, and overall brand presence to reflect where you’re headed—without abandoning what your loyal guests already love. This includes logo refinements, typography, tone of voice, and refreshed storytelling that feels both familiar and fresh.

  • We use Borne to gather hyper-relevant, location-specific data across your current footprint—demographics, psychographics, dining habits, and market shifts—so every rebrand or rollout is grounded in real-world context. It’s not just data for data’s sake—it’s insight that sharpens strategy, reduces guesswork, and helps each unit perform stronger in its own backyard.

  • From signage and decor to uniforms and playlist vibes, we help retool your physical and sensory touchpoints to create a cohesive brand experience. Every detail becomes an opportunity to reinforce your story and connect with your guests.

  • A rebrand is the perfect moment to rethink not just what’s on the menu, but how it’s presented. We rebuild your menu system to reflect your new positioning—clarifying the structure, refining the voice, and creating a visual experience that aligns with the evolved brand while making service smoother and choices easier.

  • When rebranding, your packaging is a key signal of change—especially for guests experiencing your food off-premise. We redesign your full packaging suite to reflect the new brand identity, ensuring every cup, box, and bag reinforces the story you’re now telling, while also improving functionality and operational flow.

  • Rebrands succeed when your team is aligned and the launch is deliberate. We build rollout plans that get staff on board, prepare your messaging, and choreograph the guest-facing debut to generate buzz, excitement, and a real sense of momentum.

Trusted by Growth-Minded Brands

A glimpse at the multi-unit restaurant brands that trusted us to redefine their identity, elevate their presence, and fuel their next chapter of expansion.

eegee's logo - restaurant rebranding by bullhearted
Johnny's Pizza House logo - restaurant rebranding by bullhearted
Erik's DeliCafé logo - restaurant rebranding by bullhearted
Duck Donuts logo - restaurant rebranding by bullhearted
Black text reading "easy over" upside down in a white circular background.
Logo for Great Wraps, featuring text about wraps, bowls, and salads.

Mexican QSR restaurant rebranding

Oceanwave

Full service sushi and Thai restaurant rebranding

Fast casual breakfast & bakery restaurant rebranding

For brands with history, that want a future

Rebranding isn’t a pivot. It’s a progression. We guide you through the process of letting go of what’s holding you back and doubling down on what still resonates. Whether you’re a single-location mainstay needing a tune-up or a small multi-unit brand eyeing the next level, we bring clarity, cohesion, and creative firepower to help you re-enter the conversation stronger than ever.

A recipe for a stronger strategy

The Golden Lasso is our proprietary framework for building bold, unshakable restaurant brands. It ties together purpose, positioning, personality, and promise into one clear, strategic core—so every decision pulls in the same direction. It’s how we turn scattered ideas into magnetic brands that people remember and rally around.

Diagram illustrating brand and profile development with concentric circles labeled 'Purpose,' 'Personality,' 'Product,' and 'Presentation,' connected by yellow lines to 'Brand,' 'Position,' and 'Profile' in the center.

The Golden Lasso diagram is © Szalapalooza, LLC d/b/a Bullhearted.

Restaurant Branding Process

Branding a restaurant from scratch isn’t about picking a name and designing a logo—it’s about building a business with meaning, direction, and edge. Our process is built for startups and new concepts that want to do it right from day one. It moves from insight to execution, covering everything from market positioning and strategic definition to identity design and real-world activation. Every step is intentional. Every output drives traction. This isn’t branding for show—it’s branding built to perform.

  • Before we change anything, we study everything.

    We begin with deep immersion into the current brand—what it stands for, how it performs, and how it’s perceived. This includes brand audits, staff and stakeholder interviews, guest feedback analysis, and competitive research. The goal is to uncover core truths, spot disconnects, and identify both risks and opportunities hiding in plain sight.

    Deliverables may include:

    • Brand audit summary

    • Stakeholder interview insights

    • Guest perception study

    • Market & competitor mapping

  • Repositioning with clarity and conviction.

    Armed with insights, we define (or refine) your brand’s foundation: positioning, purpose, personality, and narrative. This phase is where we draw the line in the sand—deciding what stays, what evolves, and how we’ll show up differently to win hearts, minds, and market share. This strategic platform becomes the lens through which all creative decisions are made.

    Deliverables may include:

    • Brand positioning statement

    • Brand personality + voice guide

    • Key narratives + messaging hierarchy

    • Concept development brief

  • Breathing new life into the brand’s expression.

    Once the strategy is locked, we bring the brand to life through evolved visual and verbal identity. Whether we’re modernizing a legacy logo, creating new typography systems, or rethinking the tone of voice, this is where the brand’s next chapter begins to take shape. We also revisit menus, signage, and packaging to ensure every touchpoint reflects the new direction.

    Deliverables may include:

    • Logo & identity system

    • Menu system design

    • Packaging suite

    • Brand voice + messaging

    • Mood boards for interior/environmental alignment

  • Lighting the fuse and aligning the team.

    A rebrand only works if it’s rolled out with intention. We support you through internal alignment and guest-facing launch—whether that’s a quiet shift or a big reveal. From training tools to signage plans and social rollout, we make sure your team is ready and your guests take notice. Consistency and clarity across every touchpoint is the name of the game.

    Deliverables may include:

    • Brand playbook or guidelines

    • Launch plan (internal + external)

    • Staff onboarding tools

What they’re saying