O'Charley's Updating Logo

[CDixonDesign 178]

Passing the local O'Charley's and nearly ran off the road as they were updated the new signage, and building signs with apparently, O'Charley's new logo:

It took a few good google searches, and O'Charley's website isn't updated, with the new digs. A big downgrade, IMO. Thoughts?

[aawagner011 2,390]

Looks pretty poor to me. Definitely kills the brand image I've envisioned them as for the last 15 years.

[mattb6 690]

hate it. use a generic uninspired font, and it will usually never look that good

[dfwabel 4,155]

They are not in my region, but this was announced in November.

http://nrn.com/latest-headlines/ocharleys-unveils-revamped-restaurant-model

[floydnimrod 229]

The old logo really said "We're a restaurant." The new logo says "We'll do your taxes."

[sc49erfan15 2,374]

Wha? I work at O'Charley's (off and on for nearly 8 years now) and knew absolutely nothing about this. We just got bought out by a new company, are now private instead of publicly traded, and are making huge changes to the menu... but I knew nothing of a logo swap.

Heck, the signs at the restaurant I work at still have the older logo, discontinued circa 2007:

That said... the new logo completely lacks character. This baffles me.

[LEWJ 178]

Yea, not too good.

Love the look of the old logo, timeless, in my eyes.

It'll be interesting to see how/if the restaurants change and how the new logo will be applied.

P.S. Definitely wish there were some O'Charley's in the Toledo area. Ate there a couple times when I was further south.

I'd trade Applebee's for O'Charley's anyday... haha

Edit: Just searched locations and I'm surprised at the number of locations in Ohio!

[pianoknight 2,991]

I have no idea what O'Charley's is. Never heard of them, never seen the logos.

My totally unbiased opinion is that the older logo conveys the sense of an old timey pub, with home cooked style food. The new logo creates a sleek, modern emotion and I envision them having trendy cafe fare.

Old = Steak and a bowl of soup

New = Mediterranean salad with chopped walnuts and whatever the hell aioli is.

[joechicago 16]

I hate this makeover.

Switching to generic sans-serif font with a more "Top Chef"-friendly menu has been the "it" thing in the restaurant industry for like 5 years now. Houlihan's comes to mind as a place up one notch on the scale, but it seems like every single place is going for more generic, modern conservative logo. Ruby Tuesday did something similar back in 07-08ish.

I think it's stupid of O'C's to jump on that bandwagon. Stay what you are: a good casual dining place with bread, salads, steaks, etc.

[sc49erfan15 2,374]

I have no idea what O'Charley's is. Never heard of them, never seen the logos.

My totally unbiased opinion is that the older logo conveys the sense of an old timey pub, with home cooked style food. The new logo creates a sleek, modern emotion and I envision them having trendy cafe fare.

Old = Steak and a bowl of soup

New = Mediterranean salad with chopped walnuts and whatever the hell aioli is.

That's what doesn't make any sense whatsoever. The new menu is incorporating a lot of "comfort food" type stuff - pot roast, chicken pot pie, etc... and the logo doesn't give that feel at all.

Btw, pianoknight, O'Charley's is casual dining, think Applebee's/Friday's with a less tacky atmosphere (no "flair" or kitschy decorations) and (even though I work there, this is unbiased) better food than those two. A better comparison would be Ruby Tuesday.

I hate this makeover.

Switching to generic sans-serif font with a more "Top Chef"-friendly menu has been the "it" thing in the restaurant industry for like 5 years now. Houlihan's comes to mind as a place up one notch on the scale, but it seems like every single place is going for more generic, modern conservative logo. Ruby Tuesday did something similar back in 07-08ish.

I think it's stupid of O'C's to jump on that bandwagon. Stay what you are: a good casual dining place with bread, salads, steaks, etc.

Wholeheartedly agree. But, to be fair, Ruby Tuesday's logo was awful.

[BrandMooreArt 3,766]

feels more like Chili's. they must be losing ground to them in the market?

i think it's technically a better logo. it's bolder and each letter is well executed, each fitting well next to the other unlike the old where was going everywhere (well, the O, C, and Y). adding the black seems like they want to focus on being a dinner stop too, just the feel i get from it. the apostrophe between Y and S seems small and needs some elbow room, Y and S are not giving that guy proper space.

the worst part is the RESTAURANT + BAR line. look how tight that sits against the bottom of the Y leaving that large, awkward space between the bottom of the rest of the mark. could be easily solved in a variety of ways.

overall i would say it works better in application. it's bold and very readable at small scale and will transfer to different products well (napkins, glasses, etc) but the emotional part of it is off. FNZ said "it says, we'll do your taxes" and i think thats pretty spot on. still, it's good enough to work though. i don't think anyones going to turn around and go to Applebee's because of it

[jstraper 7]

While it's a drastic change from what they've been "known" as, and as generic as the update is, I like it. It's clean, and while it distances itself form its loosely-related "Irish" "heritage" that could work well, assuming the menu is more mainstream.

Had i never heard of O'Charley's before, I think I'd now be more inclined to check it out with the update.

[sc49erfan15 2,374]

We just got new uniforms (switching from black button-down shirts, black dress pants, black apron to black button-downs, navy jeans, and green aprons - downgrade IMO) and the new green aprons still have the older logo.

It was mentioned that a lot of different things were being test-marketed in the Concord, NC store (CDixon, is that the one you saw?) which is kind of weird to me. Usually you test-market food items, promotions, etc... not entirely different logos and signage. But hey, I don't run the company (but maybe I should by now...)

[LETSGOBLUEBEATMSU 191]

They used to have one of those in my town went there once it was terrible service the food was bad and then it closed down a year later.

[Greg_Fryman 24]

They used to have one of those in my town went there once it was terrible service the food was bad and then it closed down a year later.

That has not been my experience their prob. my favorite chain sit down restaurant.

As far as the logo I actually like it. Sometimes things are just due for a change and new image. I agree that the logo looks 100X cleaner and I feel they are really trying to convey a new outlook on what the restaurant wants to be seen as in the future.

[raysfan24 34]

Just saw an O' Charleys commercial and still using the old logo.

[CDixonDesign 178]

We just got new uniforms (switching from black button-down shirts, black dress pants, black apron to black button-downs, navy jeans, and green aprons - downgrade IMO) and the new green aprons still have the older logo.

It was mentioned that a lot of different things were being test-marketed in the Concord, NC store (CDixon, is that the one you saw?) which is kind of weird to me. Usually you test-market food items, promotions, etc... not entirely different logos and signage. But hey, I don't run the company (but maybe I should by now...)

The one I saw was the local one in Gastonia. I'll try and snap a pic the next time I pass by.