A good coffee shop logo doesn’t just look good.
It communicates your coffee shop’s vibe and personality.
It’s instantly recognizable in a sea of similar coffee shops and cafes.
And it helps you market yourself memorably to the coffee-lovers you’re trying to reach.
In this blog, we’ll guide you through creating a coffee shop logo that stands out, from the criteria that make a coffee shop logo “good” to the different ways you can tackle ideation and design.
Plus, if you hang around to the end, there’s a free resource to help you with all things coffee shop branding.
Let’s get into it!
What makes a good coffee shop logo?
Here are a few things that strong coffee shop logos have in common.
1. Simplicity
A good coffee shop logo doesn’t need 15 different colors, fonts, or graphics. Tiny logo details are lost in smaller renderings of your logo, and most people will only see your logo in passing anyway. Simple is always best — but it doesn’t have to mean boring.
→ Pro tip: “Something that’s bold and simple is going to be far more memorable and recognizable than something that’s got an awful lot of detail,” says Tamarin Morley, a brand designer from Melbourne.
2. Memorability
One of the most important features of a good coffee shop logo is how memorable it is. Sure, you want people to like your logo when they see it… but what about after they’ve left? Customers should be able to recall and picture your logo, even when it’s not in front of them.
3. Scalability and versatility
You should be able to scale your coffee shop logo up and down in size as needed without losing any details or clarity (which is another point for simplicity). It should look equally sharp and legible no matter where it’s displayed, whether that’s on the side of a cup or your storefront sign.
→ Pro tip: “You’ll need something that works on a tiny little digital graphic scale as well as it does on the side of a building,” says Morley. “It should also be easily adaptable to different formats – long and horizontal for a web banner, for example – so you get that versatility of format as well as size.”
4. Uniqueness
There are over 85k coffee shops in the United States… which means there are over 85k coffee shop logos to contend with, too. A unique coffee shop logo can help your business stand out in a highly competitive industry, making it easier for customers to find (and remember) you.
5. Timelessness
A good coffee shop logo strikes the perfect balance between what’s relevant today and features that’ll withstand the test of time. You don’t want to model your logo after what’s trending right this second, because when those trends go out of style in a few weeks, your logo will too.
→ Pro tip: “Everything changes so quickly these days that something can become [incredibly] fashionable and incredibly unfashionable in no time at all. Avoid anything that’s super trendy because by the time you’ve finished the branding project, it’s probably out of fashion,” says Morley.
6. Personality and vibe
Customers should be able to look at your coffee shop logo and get a feel for your brand’s personality and vibe. Get creative with your logo’s colors, fonts, and images to show off what makes your brand special and give people a sneak peek of what to expect when they visit.
How do I come up with a coffee shop logo idea?
There’s not necessarily a “right” or “wrong” way to come up with a coffee shop logo idea…
But there is a general creative process you can follow to make sure you hit all the important steps and check every logo-creating box.
1. Self-discovery
This first phase is where you figure out the who, what, and why behind your new coffee shop logo. In this phase, you’ll want to figure out the answers to questions like:
- Why are you unique?
- Who is your target audience?
- What is your coffee shop’s “why”?
- What are your favorite logos? Why do you like them?
- What do you want people to feel/think when they see your logo?
You’ll use these answers throughout the rest of the logo development process, especially when it comes time to get creative with symbols, words, and colors.
→ Pro Tip: Your coffee shop business plan will come in handy here, especially the “Mission and VIsion Statement” section and your Marketing and Branding plan.
2. Exploration
This second phase is all about research. You’ll spend a lot of time in this phase looking at other coffee shop logos and brushing up on your design principles.
Here are a few things you might want to do in this stage.
- Create a logo mood board to start nailing down which colors, fonts, and design elements you like (or don’t)
- Research color psychology and how different logo colors can evoke different feelings from your customers
- Look into logo fonts to learn about the different types of fonts and see which ones stand out to you
Even if you don’t end up creating your logo yourself, the exploration stage is still incredibly helpful. Having a basic understanding of design principles — and being able to articulate what you do and don’t like — will make working with a professional logo designer even easier.
3. Experimentation
This third phase is where you put everything you learned in the first two phases into action by experimenting with some logos.
There are a ton of different ways you can do this, including:
- Good old pencil and paper, whether physical or digital
- Free online logo design tools like Canva Logo Maker or Looka
- Vector software like Adobe Illustrator (paid) or Inkscape (free)
Remember: what you create in this stage doesn’t have to be your final logo. It can be a starting point, a rough sketch you give to your designer, or just part of your mood board.
After phase three, it’s time to actually create your coffee shop logo — and there are a few different ways you can do it.
Who can design a coffee shop logo?
There are three different routes you can take for designing your coffee shop logo.
1. Design the coffee shop logo yourself
This is a good option if you’re working with a low budget — or no budget at all. There are tons of free design tools you can use to create your own coffee shop logo, like Tailor Brands, Shopify’s Logo Maker, or any of the ones we mentioned in the “Experimentation” section above.
→ Pro Tip: For a deeper dive into logo ideation and creation, check out some of our favorite expert resources below!
- The ultimate logo guide by Adobe
- How to Design a Logo by Vistaprint
- 6 Huge Beginner Logo Design Mistakes by Will Paterson
- 8 Basic design principles to help you make awesome graphics by Adobe
2. Work with a freelancer to design your coffee shop logo
This is a good option if you want a coffee shop that’s more customized than you can do yourself, but less expensive and involved than working with a full agency.
You can find freelance designers on websites like Upwork and Fiverr — just make sure to check out their reviews!
3. Work with a branding or design agency for your coffee shop logo
This is a good option if you’re willing (and financially able) to invest in long-term brand strategy. Look for an agency that offers the complete package, from market research and brand identity development to creating your coffee shop logo and executing the entire branding process.
The best option for you depends on a few different factors, from time and money to how much you want to be involved in the process… and that’s something only you can decide!
3 great coffee shop logos (and why they work)
1. Starbucks
Why it works
- The infamous siren is instantly recognizable, even without the words “Starbucks”
- Their signature green color is unique and exclusive to Starbucks; no other brand has anything quite like it
- The circular shape of the logo is easy to fit on a range of media, from cups and sleeves to signage and apps
2 — Dunkin’
Why it works
- The typography is bold and playful with an iconic pink and orange palette
- The revamped “Dunkin’” naming is short and sweet, making it easier (and faster) for customers to recall
- The Dunkin’ logo reflects the brand’s unique, fun-loving personality, working in tandem with their energetic marketing
3 — Rook Coffee
Why it works
- The rook imagery is memorable and recognizable, especially for local coffee lovers
- The circle shape of the logo makes it incredibly versatile; it can be used just as effectively with or without the words
- The logo is a sleek, simple black-and-white, giving Rook more leeway to add color in other parts of their marketing
Ultimate Guide to Coffee Shop Branding
So, you’ve got everything you need to create the coffee shop logo of your dreams.
But now what?
Now you put it all into action with Craver’s Ultimate Guide to Coffee Shop Branding!
This comprehensive guide outlines all the steps you need to take your coffee shop branding to the next level, including:
- The 3 simple steps to create your brand identity
- Tips ‘n’ tricks for picking the perfect brand name
- How to build a cohesive brand experience
…and so much more.
Take your vision to the next level with Craver’s Ultimate Guide to Coffee Shop Branding.
