30 Famous Fast Food Logos Around the World
Updated February 26, 2024
Fast food is a global phenomenon, with millions of people dining at quick-service restaurants daily. From eye-catching billboards to app-based orders, these brands are a staple of modern life.
Today, we’re highlighting some of the most iconic fast-food logos from around the world. Whether you’re looking for logo design inspiration or simply curious about the visual identities that define these fast-food brands, this list showcases the most recognizable symbols in the industry.
Baskin-Robbins
This ice cream logo looks humble and straightforward until you realize the meaning behind the Baskin-Robbins logo. It is one of the most famous logos with a hidden meaning. The pink-colored parts in the brand initials form the number 31, which refers to the amount of ice cream flavors the brand offers.
DQ
Dairy Queen’s initial logo, which started as a wordmark with a monochrome scheme in 1940, is still used today. It uses an eye-shaped figure to frame its serif typography, and wave-like lines in blue and yellow accent the design. This helps to draw the audience’s eye and to reference the brand’s most well-known product, Blizzard.
Wendy’s
The word “MOM ” is hidden within the ruffles of the brand’s mascot. This became a huge topic when the brand launched in 2013. The restaurant said it was unintentional, but it still allowed the brand to generate more buzz.
Krispy Kreme
Referred to as the Bowtie, the donut shop’s logo was designed by an architect named Benny Dinkins. This design has never been changed since 1937. It uses a lively combination of green and red, complementing each other.
Dunkin’
Formerly known as Dunkin Donuts, the international donut chain shortened its name in 2019. This rebranding initiative also included a redesign. The design retained the sans serif bubble font with the pink and orange color scheme, becoming simpler and easier to remember.
Subway
Subway is one of the most popular sandwich shops in the world. President and CEO Suzanne Greco said the brand’s new identity reinforces its “commitment to staying fresh and forward-thinking.” The logo’s design simplified and added symmetry, retaining familiar qualities such as color and the iconic arrow drawings.
Starbucks
Starbucks’ original 1971 logo featured a topless, two-tailed siren that symbolizes the allure of the sea and the seafaring history of coffee trading. After Howard Schultz took over in 1987, the siren got a modest makeover, and the color scheme shifted from brown to green, symbolizing growth and prosperity
The popular coffeehouse In 2011, Starbucks unveiled a significant logo update to commemorate its 40th anniversary. The design removed the surrounding text and the outer circle, allowing the siren’s image to stand alone in green and white. This minimalist approach signified the brand’s confidence and universal recognition, emphasizing the siren as the central symbol of Starbucks.
IHOP
Owned by Dine Brands Global, IHOP, or International House of Pancakes, has gone through over four logo redesign projects. Its latest attempt to refresh its look was in 2015, when it removed ornaments like its frame and banner to create a minimalistic approach to branding.
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The brand also added a curved line underneath the letters O and P to create the illusion of a smiling face. Other brands with a smiley face in their logo include Amazon and Crayola.
Cinnabon
As one of the most iconic American bakeries, Cinnabon is well known for its blue logo. It features a serif font, adding a touch of elegance to its identity. The lettering references the swirl seen in their baked goods. The badge that gives visual prominence to the wordmark is pinched in the center to give it a unique look.
Nando’s
Nando’s logo is a vibrant representation of its Afro-Portuguese roots. Its main icon is the Barcelos Rooster, a legendary symbol of Portuguese folklore and good luck. The rooster’s body also features a heart—representing Nando’s passion for food and culture— and its fiery red and black design reflects the heat of their famous peri-peri cuisine.
Over the years, the logo has evolved with a modern twist but remains instantly recognizable, embodying the brand’s spirit of flavor, heritage, and joy.
KFC
KFC’s logo journey began in 1952 with a simple caricature of Colonel Sanders alongside “Kentucky Fried Chicken” in handwritten-style font. In 1991, they shortened the restaurant’s name to “KFC” and modernized the Colonel’s portrait with a red, white, and blue color scheme. The logo has also evolved since then, with different iterations depending on which part of the world you’re from.
Greggs
Greggs’s logo history rose as fast as its dough! Founded in 1951 in Newcastle, its early design was simple and humble. By the 1980s, brighter colors and playful typography reflected its growing popularity. The latest refresh in 2021 introduced a sleek, modern font with a friendly vibe, perfectly capturing Greggs’ role as the UK’s go-to bakery for comfort food.
Panera Bread
Since 1987, Panera’s logo has centered around “Mother Bread,” a woman holding a loaf of bread, symbolizing both the nurturing aspect of baking and the company’s use of the original sourdough starter from the 1980s. The design evolved from black and white to warm yellow tones in 2005 and, in 2020, added a green arch background representing an oven’s mouth while emphasizing the brand’s commitment to fresh ingredients.
Popeyes
Popeyes began in 1972 with a simple house-shaped logo, named after detective Jimmy “Popeye” Doyle from the movie “The French Connection.” In 2008, the brand embraced its Louisiana heritage by introducing playful “dancing” letters created by the design firm Pentagram.
The most recent 2019 update matured the logo with a contemporary typeface while maintaining its New Orleans roots.
Panda Express
Panda Express began in 1973 with a whimsical panda holding bamboo in a red circle, evolving in 1983 to a minimalist panda design with “GOURMET CHINESE FOOD” text. The 2014 update softened the red tones and changed the tagline to “CHINESE KITCHEN” while maintaining the iconic panda, reflecting the brand’s consistent role as a bridge between Chinese cuisine and American fast-food culture.
Taco Bell
The famous bell in Taco Bell’s logo was not introduced until 1985, more than two decades after its founding. Seven years later, the company adopted the purple and pink colors in its branding to distinguish itself from other fast-food chains that mostly used red, yellow, and green.
The 2016 design maintains the purple but features a minimalist approach, simplified typography, and no pink or yellow accents.
McDonald’s
The iconic golden arches first debuted in 1952 as architectural elements for McDonald’s visual branding. Designer Jim Schindler transformed these physical arches into a logo in 1962, and by 1968, it was refined into the sleeker version we know today.
While the logo has seen minor updates since then—including variations with red backgrounds and minimalist designs—the golden arches have remained the fast food chain’s core symbol, becoming one of the world’s most recognizable brand identities.
Chick-fil-A
Chick-fil-A started in 1960 with a simple black and red chicken head logo, but its iconic design emerged in 1964 when designers Louie Giglio and Evan Armstrong integrated a chicken silhouette into the letter “C.”
The logo’s basic design—originally sketched on a napkin—has remained largely unchanged since then. The main evolution was a shift from black to all-red in 1998 and a final modernization in 2012 that closed the chicken’s beak.
Shake Shack
Pentagram’s Paula Scher—also known as one of the most acclaimed graphic designers in the world—designed Shake Shack’s original 2004 logo with a simple black Neutra typeface to match the restaurant’s modern architecture.
In 2008, the design evolved to include a lime-green burger icon between “SHAKE” and “SHACK” along with cursive text, and by 2010, the logo was refined with sharp geometric letters while maintaining the burger icon.
The brand’s visual identity expanded to include retro-inspired neon-like icons and Galaxie Cassiopeia font for menus, blending 1950s nostalgia with contemporary design.
Carl’s Jr.
Starting with a simple five-point star, Carl’s Jr.’s logo evolved into a cheerful yellow star mascot in the 1950s, symbolizing fun and great food. By 2006, the star had a sleek red outline and modern font, and recent updates in 2017 and 2018 made it bold and minimalist.
Today, Carl’s Jr.’ smiling star has become an iconic symbol of its playful and delicious fast-food legacy.
Sonic
Sonic’s logo history began in 1959 with “Top Hat” in red letters and a chef character, evolving significantly in 1998 to incorporate blue and yellow colors with a red wordmark. In 2020, despite some controversy, the company modernized its design with a simplified blue-outlined arrowhead and modified typography, moving away from its retro aesthetic to reflect a more contemporary brand image.
Arby’s
Arby’s debuted in 1964 with a brown cowboy hat logo inspired by the era’s western craze, featuring “Arby’s Roast Beef Sandwich is Delicious” text. In 1969, they simplified it to the now-iconic red hat with just “Arby’s” text, which lasted until 2012 when a short-lived 3D glossy version appeared.
The current design, introduced in 2013, returns to a flatter, modernized version of the classic hat while maintaining its heritage as a nod to the Raffel Brothers (R.B.) who founded the company.
Five Guys
Five Guys’ 1986 logo featured three levels of text with “Five Guys” and “Famous Burgers and Fries” framed by red and white checkered patterns named after the five Murrell brothers. In 2005, they simplified their logo by removing “Famous” and switching to a bold sans-serif font while maintaining their signature red and white colors, which represent energy and purity.
Chipotle
Chipotle started in 1993 with a simple black papyrus-style text logo that lasted 16 years. In 2009, they introduced their iconic circular design featuring a white pepper surrounded by red and black concentric circles. This design was later refined with a thicker outer circle and a more stylized pepper.
The firm said that its red and brown logo represents passion and earthiness, reflecting the brand’s commitment to fresh, organic ingredients.
Quiznos
Quiznos started their logo journey in 1981 with a light green design featuring an extended “Q” tail connecting to the “S.” Through several iterations—including a 1994 rounded design and a 1998 square design with green and red fields—the brand maintained its distinctive “Q” as a core element.
The 2021 update features a vibrant lime green color with bold sans-serif typeface, still preserving the signature curved “Q” tail that has been present since the beginning.
Jollibee
This Filipino-founded fast-food chain’s bee logo symbolizes hard work and the sweetness of success. Inspired by Disney characters like Mickey Mouse, the design features a chef’s hat, red blazer, and white gloves. In 1996, the logo was refined to give the bee a more expressive face with a wider smile and no eyebrows.
Today, the friendly bee mascot remains, with red as the dominant color—reflecting Jollibee’s commitment to spreading joy through food.
In-N-Out Burger
In-N-Out’s original logo is just white text on a brown background. They added the iconic yellow arrow in 1954 to symbolize pride and forward momentum. The design, featuring red, yellow, and white colors with a palm tree representing the fast-food chain’s California roots, has remained remarkably consistent since then. The company has also aggressively protected this trademark globally, demonstrating its commitment to brand tradition.
Jimmy John’s
Jimmy John’s 1983 logo featured playful black lettering, a hand-drawn sandwich, and a ribbon seal declaring, “We Only Use American Made Good Stuff.” The logo evolved in 2000 to feature bold red “JJ” initials, and by 2007, it transformed into a circular badge design with the iconic red “JJ” on a black background.
The most recent update in 2021 simplified the design to a clean circular emblem with the “JJ” initials flanked by red stars, focusing simply on “SANDWICHES” rather than their previous slogan.
Burger King
Burger King started in 1953 with a rising sun design but found its iconic identity in 1969 by introducing the “bun” logo, which sandwiched the brand name between two yellow bun halves. While a blue outline was added in 1999, the 2021 rebrand stripped away artificial elements. It returned to a simplified version of the classic design, featuring warm-colored buns and bold red lettering that pays homage to its 1970s-90s heritage.
A&W Restaurants
A&W began in 1919 with a simple glass mug logo, adding its letters by 1921, and evolved to a bullseye pattern in 1948. The brand’s signature horizontal oval design emerged in 1968 with brown and orange colors. It was updated in 2018 to a diagonal orientation with “Since 1919” and “Root Beer” banners. It maintained the brown palette that represents its signature drink, named after founders Roy Allen and Frank Wright
Conclusion
Brand identity matters. It allows businesses to shape the way the audience perceives them. This also drives brand loyalty and empowers you to influence purchase decisions. Plus, it enables you to present your brand in a consistent way for your business cards to your social media accounts. Tools like Design.com’s AI business card generator offer customizable templates, allowing you to design cards that reflect your brand’s identity seamlessly.
Learn how you can find the logo design for your business below.
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