Interior design for restaurants is one thing, branding for food companies is another, and creating compelling packaging for to-go food is a whole other beast. Calling upon the basic human survival instinct to hunt for our food, art director Danil Snitko of branding agency Punk You Brands introduces the book, Eat & Go: Branding and Design for Takeaways & Restaurants, by outlining all the additional challenges faced by designers cooking up takeout food packaging.
“To get the customer’s attention it needs to be extraordinary, but it should not be too eccentric, since often the customer will eat their food directly out of this packaging.”
He goes on to talk about the color combinations that seem most appealing, the materials that people want touching their food, and finally the functionality of those materials. Will it keep soup hot? Will it leak? Will it prevent salads from wilting?
With that in mind, we highlight some of our favorite projects from the book.
Vesuvio Pizzeria, by Angelica Baini
Carry-out packaging that becomes a portable place setting pretty much speaks for itself.
Maki-San, by Kinetic Singapore
Is this sushi, or the prettiest little edible present ever? We think both.
Sui, by Dana Nof
Finally, a take-out box we wouldn’t be embarrassed to carry back to work. The clinical-looking chopsticks, vials of soy sauce, and petri dishes and wasabi and ginger may skew a little OCD for some, but we’re into it—and we’d also add that the utensils are at least way easier to use than the standard wooden to-go option.
L’Encant, by Can Cun
The menus for this sushi bar/take-away spot are made from stone paper, a fully compostable paper-like product made from recycled stone or marble. They are sustainable as they are durable, and we love the fan-like presentation.
Álade Airlines Cáterin, by Jorge Atrespuntos
The elegant printed table setting on the paper placemat is such a smart way to elevate the everyday paper and plastic tableware used by the airline.
Korodon, by Eggplant Factory
Instead of serving korokke, a kind of Japanese croquette that street vendors typically serve in square waxed paper bags, Eggplant Factory created a packaging solution the responds to the shape of the food and presents it as “giftable” item.
Galomos, by Ducxe
Kudos for creating a chicken nugget and packaging it in a way that makes us actually want to eat it.
