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Case studyBranding

IdentityColourPatternPackagingEnvironment

Mandi restaurant

Waqtal Mandi

Opening frame of the Waqtal Mandi brand film

Waqtal Mandi brand film. Motion film made from the original Waqtal Mandi identity boards and brand applications.

Overview

An identity for Waqtal Mandi, a traditional mandi restaurant in the UAE.

The symbol draws a group of people seated around a shared platter, from an inspiration board titled "the joy of kinship". The presentation applies it to a delivery box, a pattern and an illuminated Arabic and English shopfront.

BriefThe original inspiration centres on kinship and a shared meal. The design task is to turn that social occasion into an identity that can appear on a delivery order as well as a restaurant frontage.

Services

Scope

  • Symbol and wordmark
  • Colour and pattern
  • Delivery packaging and shopfront applications

Sources

A delivery rider seen from behind on a scooter at dusk, with a charcoal backpack carrying the amber Waqtal Mandi symbol and name and two patterned delivery boxes strapped on the back.
Delivery rider at duskThe Waqtal Mandi identity in a lifestyle photograph of a delivery rider on a scooter at dusk.

How to read this deck

The deck pairs the client’s original presentation boards with new application scenes that show the identity in use.

Some of the older boards have been redrawn. Each one sits where the original stood, with the real original design in its corner and a View original button to open it in full.

Chapter 01

Concept and inspiration

Waqtal Mandi: Inspiration
InspirationA group seated around a mandi platter, with the project notes: a traditional mandi restaurant in the UAE.
Waqtal Mandi: Waqtal Mandi shared-meal inspiration
Waqtal Mandi shared-meal inspirationA meal surrounded by diners appears on gold in the original inspiration board.

Chapter 02

How the logo was formed

The Waqtal Mandi logo shown large on a pale paper ground with thin construction lines, circles, a modular grid and a clear-space frame built from a unit x.
Logo constructionConstruction study of the Waqtal Mandi logo, showing its geometry and clear space.

Chapter 04

Logo variations

Waqtal Mandi: Monochrome versions
Monochrome versionsBlack on white and white on black.
Waqtal Mandi: Amber and charcoal versions
Amber and charcoal versionsThe logo in charcoal on amber, and in amber on charcoal.
The ring symbol in amber, enlarged and cropped off the edge of a charcoal field.
Symbol on charcoalThe Waqtal Mandi identity as the ring symbol cropped large on charcoal.
Waqtal Mandi: Waqtal Mandi monochrome variants
Waqtal Mandi monochrome variantsThe complete client board shows black-on-white and white-on-black versions of the restaurant identity.

Chapter 05

Colour

  • Accent#F0A830
  • Surface#1B1B1B
  • Ink#FFFFFF

Colours sampled from the original identity boards.

Three vertical panels of amber, charcoal and cream, each with the Waqtal Mandi logo in a readable colour.
Logo on colourThe Waqtal Mandi identity on three panels of amber, charcoal and cream.
Painted patches of amber, charcoal and cream on a clean plaster wall with paper stock swatches taped beside them and a brush on a paint tin.
Amber and charcoal in materialsThe Waqtal Mandi identity: the brand amber, charcoal and cream as painted patches and paper stock.
A white print-studio table with amber and charcoal proof sheets, a gold foil swatch card, a fanned colour guide and a black box with a lattice edge.
Print proofs and colour guideThe Waqtal Mandi identity: amber and charcoal proofs, a gold foil sample and a colour guide on a studio table.

Chapter 06

Pattern and graphic elements

Waqtal Mandi: Pattern and shopfront mockup
Pattern and shopfront mockupThe pattern beside an illuminated night shopfront with the name in Arabic and English.
The interlocking ring chain pattern in amber on charcoal with a small ring symbol badge.
PatternThe Waqtal Mandi identity as an interlocking ring pattern with a small symbol badge.
A parcel wrapped in charcoal paper printed with the Waqtal Mandi gold lattice pattern and sealed with a round gold sticker, with a hand resting on its corner.
Pattern on wrapping paperThe Waqtal Mandi identity: the gold lattice pattern as wrapping paper around a parcel.

Chapter 07

Packaging

From the door to the street

The delivery box and the illuminated shopfront, with its Arabic sign, use the same amber-and-charcoal palette and the pattern built from the symbol.

A hand holding a black Waqtal Mandi delivery box with the amber symbol and a gold lattice side through an open wooden front door into a bright hallway.
Waqtal Mandi: Delivery box mockup
Delivery box mockupA charcoal delivery box with the amber logo, handed over at a door.
Doorstep delivery boxThe Waqtal Mandi identity on a delivery box handed over at a front door.
Waqtal Mandi: Waqtal Mandi dining table
Waqtal Mandi dining tableThe Waqtal Mandi identity on dining-service print, inspired by the supplied circular sharing-table mark.
Waqtal Mandi: Waqtal Mandi delivery-box application
Waqtal Mandi delivery-box applicationThe Waqtal Mandi identity on a delivery box.
Waqtal Mandi: Waqtal Mandi takeaway presentation
Waqtal Mandi takeaway presentationA hand presents the dark takeaway box with the gold restaurant identity beside a doorway.

Chapter 08

Stationery

Business cards, letterhead, envelope and compliment slip with the Waqtal Mandi ring symbol on dark paper.
StationeryThe Waqtal Mandi identity as business cards, letterhead, envelope and compliment slip.
A charcoal Waqtal Mandi business card held over an amber card on a walnut desk, with a brass pen and a small glass of tea.
Business cards on a deskThe Waqtal Mandi identity: two business cards on a walnut desk.
A charcoal letterhead, an amber envelope with the ring symbol and a white compliment card with a gold lattice border on a walnut desk with a brass pen and a tea glass.
Letterhead and envelopeThe Waqtal Mandi identity: a charcoal letterhead, an amber envelope and a lattice compliment card.

Chapter 09

Signage and spaces

The Waqtal Mandi restaurant shopfront at night with a white backlit symbol and glowing amber lettering.
Waqtal Mandi: Waqtal Mandi outdoor-signage presentation
Waqtal Mandi outdoor-signage presentationThe client PDF shows the English and Arabic restaurant signage on a night-time frontage, with the named outdoor-signage strip.
Illuminated fascia at nightThe Waqtal Mandi identity, remastered from the original board of illuminated restaurant fascia, as a photograph of the illuminated restaurant fascia.
A backlit white ring-symbol roundel on a dark Sharjah restaurant frontage at night with a lattice screen window, a cable and a parked car edge.
Illuminated roundel at nightThe Waqtal Mandi identity: the lit ring-symbol roundel on a restaurant frontage at night.
A tidy empty majlis dining corner with charcoal and amber cushions, a gold ring-symbol roundel on a charcoal wall and a carved lattice screen in warm light.
Majlis seating before serviceThe Waqtal Mandi identity: a majlis seating wall with the gold roundel before the lunch service.

Chapter 10

Uniforms and merchandise

A charcoal apron, amber cap and tea towel carrying the Waqtal Mandi ring symbol and wordmark.
MerchThe Waqtal Mandi identity on an apron, a cap and a tea towel.
A new amber cap with the charcoal Waqtal Mandi ring symbol on a clean stainless steel shelf in a bright kitchen beside folded black cloths and a roll of foil.
Amber cap on a kitchen shelfThe Waqtal Mandi identity: an amber cap with the ring symbol on a stainless steel kitchen shelf.
A server seen from behind in a charcoal apron with the amber ring symbol patch at the neck, carrying an empty steel tray through a warm restaurant corridor.
Charcoal apron from behindThe Waqtal Mandi identity: a charcoal apron with the amber roundel worn by a server carrying an empty steel tray, seen from behind.

Chapter 11

Digital

A hand holding a phone that shows a Waqtal Mandi Instagram grid of amber symbol tiles, chain pattern and mandi platters.
Instagram gridThe Waqtal Mandi identity as an Instagram grid on a phone.
A hand holding a phone over a sofa arm showing a Waqtal Mandi story frame: amber with the charcoal ring symbol and wordmark and a gold lattice band.
Story frame on a phoneThe Waqtal Mandi identity: a single story frame on a phone over a sofa arm.
A laptop on a tidy walnut desk showing a Waqtal Mandi social profile of amber, charcoal and gold lattice tiles, beside a glass of tea and a notebook.
Profile open on a laptopThe Waqtal Mandi identity: the brand profile open on a laptop on a desk.

Chapter 12

The brand in the world

The source carries the restaurant identity onto a takeaway box and illuminated outdoor signage.

Hands reach into a large platter of mandi rice and lamb on a gold-patterned paper sofra, with a lit mustard roundel and the Waqtal Mandi wordmark on a charcoal wall behind.
Waqtal Mandi shared platterThe Waqtal Mandi identity on a lit wall sign and a patterned table cover, set around a shared platter.
A charcoal catering van with the mustard roundel and Waqtal Mandi wordmark on its door while hands carry a stack of patterned charcoal boxes at sunset.
Waqtal Mandi catering runThe Waqtal Mandi identity on a catering van and gold-patterned boxes.
An opened charcoal Waqtal Mandi box showing mandi rice and a lamb shank on a gold-patterned liner, with a branded tea cup, a napkin and hands tearing bread.
Waqtal Mandi box openedThe Waqtal Mandi identity on a takeaway box, liner, tea cup and napkin.
A charcoal gift box lid with the Waqtal Mandi roundel and wordmark in gold foil, a gold geometric pattern band on its edge, cardamom pods and a brass dallah.
Gold foil roundel on a boxThe Waqtal Mandi identity as gold foil on a box lid, with the brand pattern on the edge.

Chapter 13

In people’s hands

  • One hand pulls lamb from a half-eaten tray of saffron and white mandi rice on a floor spread, with a charcoal Waqtal Mandi box, torn bread and a sauce cup beside it.
    Shared platterThe Waqtal Mandi identity in a lifestyle photograph of a shared platter of mandi on the floor.
  • A waiter in a charcoal polo with a small amber symbol on the chest carries a large platter of mandi rice and lamb through a warmly lit dining room.
    Platter to the tableThe Waqtal Mandi identity in a lifestyle photograph of a waiter carrying a platter of mandi.
  • A person in a white kandura, seen from the chest down, carries two stacked charcoal Waqtal Mandi boxes with the gold pattern past a lit shopfront at night.
    Two boxes out the doorThe Waqtal Mandi identity in a lifestyle photograph of a customer carrying two takeaway boxes at night.
  • A closed charcoal Waqtal Mandi box with the gold pattern sits on a low wooden table beside a glass of tea and a plate of dates in lamp light.
    Box on the majlis tableThe Waqtal Mandi identity in a lifestyle photograph of a delivery box on a majlis table with tea and dates.
  • Two charcoal Waqtal Mandi boxes tied with an amber band on a steel kitchen counter, with a cook's hand plating rice behind them.
    Boxes in the kitchenThe Waqtal Mandi identity in a lifestyle photograph of two boxes on a steel kitchen counter.

Chapter 14

Campaign

A backlit bus shelter poster in amber with the charcoal ring symbol and wordmark on a clean Al Barsha roadside at golden hour, with a passing car.
Bus shelter poster, Al BarshaThe Waqtal Mandi identity: an amber backlit bus shelter poster in Al Barsha.
A new Waqtal Mandi hoarding with the ring symbol and the gold lattice pattern wrapped on a construction-site fence, with a crane and skyline behind.
Hoarding beside a building siteThe Waqtal Mandi identity: a printed hoarding on a construction-site fence.
Three backlit street posters on a clean Dubai pavement at blue hour carrying the Waqtal Mandi logo, the gold chain pattern and the ring symbol.
Street postersThe Waqtal Mandi identity on three backlit street posters at blue hour.

About this deck

What we built

A shared-platter symbol and supporting pattern, with delivery-box applications and an illuminated Arabic-and-English shopfront mockup.

About the originals

The original boards are from Abcon’s original project presentation and include application mockups.

What does your brand need next?

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