Creative Restaurant Signs That Will Steal Customers From Other Businesses
By Iulia P
They say that there is no better publicity than the publicity made by your own customers. And this is true. Every business owner knows that customers are the ones to decide the destiny of a business. It needs just one unsatisfied person leaving a bad review for someone’s restaurant or store to get a bad reputation and, of course, the opposite is true. One satisfied and happy person can help one’s business become more famous and attract more customers. Besides this, a good advertising sign placed outside of one’s business is also a good way of promoting it. But if you make it funny, success is guaranteed. Here are some restaurants who sure know what a funny advertising sign can do for one’s business.
Beating the competition
This sign was placed in front of a takeaway pizza place, and it is fair to say that the manager of this place did not come here to play. He woke up that day and was ready to eat the competition alive.
Sure the sign is a bit petty, but who does not love some good shade nowadays? Something tells us that this meme-inspired ad brought some new customers in, besides putting some smiles on the passersby’s faces. We definitely approve, and they should just take our money.
Sounds risky
If we would bump into a sign like this, we would definitely go left and not risk anything. Bears are cute, but we all know that if they run unexpectedly into some humans, they would not likely be very friendly.
Plus, who would not be curious what those “nice drinks” taste and look like? With this being said, since nobody was probably ready to risk anything, we have the feeling that this bar was packed that day.
Sorry, not sorry!
If this is not the best and most hilarious way of forcing irresponsible parents to be responsible, then we don’t know what is. While we do hope this joke didn’t hurt anyone’s feelings, it made us grin at the thought.
For this restaurant to make sure that every customer’s needs are respected and attended to, they did what they had to do. No parent would want their very energetic kid to have coffee, right? Pretty fair to say that kids in that restaurant are behaving.
Can buy me love
It looks like The Beatles song “Can’t Buy Me Love” is not the 1960s song our generation is basing their love standards on. Apparently, we look to Janis Joplin instead and just want a round of drinks on the house, or on our new bae.
We live in a fast-moving society, and it seems like anything that makes mundane processes go faster is the way to go. So you want to make that guy fall in love with you? Just buy a round, and he’ll be yours.
Enough is enough!
When enough is enough, this is exactly what happens. It turns out someone got really tired of being asked if they have seen this lost cat or that lost dog around their business. We don’t think they get it, though!
Why would so many people ask the restaurant about their lost pets? It seems to us that this restaurant got back at some obnoxious customers in a way that is not only clever and funny, but definitely takes a jab at shady people making uncalled-for comments.
Hypnotizing
Well, whoever was behind this ad deserves a prize. Bacon is already too yummy to resist, but if you use bacon in hypnosis, well, the restaurant’s success is guaranteed. This ad is one of those that deserves some serious props.
We can only imagine how many customers were hypnotized that day into going inside and ordering some delicious bacon. As a matter of fact, the more we look at this ad, the more we want to order some bacon too.
Choose wisely!
This is the type of sign that every business should have in their window. Nowadays, people are so used to instant gratification that they sometimes forget these important points. The point is clear and concise without being aggressive.
We can’t help but wonder what people typically pick when presented with such a brave truth. Do they ponder it for a while? Do most people opt for fast, but complain less about the quality? This sign gets an A+ from us.
El Arroyo
This is the Mexican restaurant El Arroyo. It is located in Austin, Texas, and it is famous for its hilarious signs that are indisputably one of the best ways ever to bring publicity to the place. The mind behind this is definitely a genius.
The restaurant always changes its signs with different jokes and witty lines that range from hilarious to philosophical. Even though they aren’t always related to food, humor brings in the customers. This giant meme has us tipping our hats to this place.
It’s the simple things
It’s the simple things in life that make it worth living. It could be a small nice gesture for another person or simple yet heartfelt words, or it could be simple restaurant signs like the one in the picture below.
There is nothing more annoying than a restaurant sign placed on the street written a very complicated menu. It seems like the restaurant manager knows this and made a sign to make life easier for the customers. You want egg? They have egg.
Advertising level: 1000
There is no better way to attract male customers than the one pictured below, and we mean it. Whoever is behind this is definitely a marketing genius. There are three keywords here that must have brought a good number of customers that day.
The person who wrote this ad knows what most men like, and he also knows that most men would not even bother to read the small words. But hey, watching girls’ volleyball at the bar definitely isn’t boring. Cheer those athletes on!
The lazy club
If the lazy club people (us included) see this ad, they will come and pack the place. As a matter of fact, who will ever choose Pilates over yummy pies and sweet lattes? We know for a fact that we would never.
Although this ad is pretty clear, it would be funny to see if people actually read it. Imagine someone going inside with their yoga mat, ready to start their workout, only for them to be greeted with pies and lattes. What a dream!
The sacrifice
Before we start, we must admit that this sign makes us feel so guilty that we are ready to go inside that restaurant or bar. And this just to make sure no innocent grape died in vain there. That’s a good way of assuring customers would come in.
Nobody likes how guilt feels, and the manager of this place sure knows about this. Now that we know that they are playing the guilt trip card with us, we are still the type to go in and see what is up with these grapes.
The end
We think we just found the most convincing and truthful restaurant sign so far. Even though it feels like the person who wrote this was going through some hard times, that person managed to turn those hardships into the best advertising ever.
And if you are not convinced, just take a look at the ad above. A friend has an end. Boyfriend has an end. So does my girlfriend. Everything has an end except food. Food will always be there to comfort you. So will those annoying calories, but this is another story.
Inspiration level 1000
The day the name of this Vietnamese restaurant was chosen was probably the same day the stars and planets aligned in the astrological chart of the owner or the person who came up with this name. The inspiration was at an all-time high that day.
Apparently, this restaurant is a family business, and when the new generation took over it, they decided to update it. For those who have no clue what this line means, fo’ shizzle translates to: for sure. For those of us who are reminded of Snoop Dogg are then reminded we’re getting old…
Hipsters won’t like it
Or maybe they will—one thing about hipsters: they never know or admit that they are hipsters. So not only will the rest of the world find this restaurant sign funny, but so will the hipsters who will laugh at other hipsters for being hipsters, we guess.
Is it us, or this joke actually sounds like a dad joke? It does, right? Something tells us that the person behind this is probably a dad whose daughter likes going to Starbucks and wearing mom jeans even though she is a young adult.
Ouch!
Well, okay, sir. We get that you have a dress code for your restaurant or bar, but did you really need to be that harsh on us, the socks and sandals lovers? Let’s not forget that this style is definitely on trend in 2021.
And also, let’s not forget that usually, the people that wear the most simple and “non-fashionable” clothes are the people who have a lot of schmoney in their accounts. Nobody would want to lose a customer like this, right?
Nasty Taurant
All we can say is that the event of the two first letters burning out is indeed regrettable. Why couldn’t it be the middle two letters or even the last two? We have no idea, but we do feel like this was karma’s work.
While this is an accident and not the result of genius, we had to include some coincidental humor in here as well. Let’s be honest, nobody wants to eat at a restaurant whose name is “Nasty.” Someone needs to buy some light bulbs.
Two options
You’ve just got to love how inclusive this sign is. Because let’s be honest, when V-day is around, every advertisement targets couples in love and focuses on how happy life is when you have a partner. That’s cute, but not all of us are in love.
Some of us, and really many of us, might choose tequila instead of “Te Amo.” Or maybe the only way the single people would say, “Te Amo” ( Spanish for, “I love you”) is when talking to the tequila shot. Sounds like a drinking game in the making.
No choice
This restaurant sign pictured below is pretty clever. Why? Because it sounds like an offer that one can just not refuse or ignore. If the one reading is having a bad day, they won’t waste a minute to order that drink.
But as we said earlier, this offer is clever, but also can be dangerous. “Come and have a drink” – we all know most people will not stop at one drink, no matter if their mood is good or bad. So be careful out there, people!
El Aroyo strikes again
Get used to seeing banners from El Aroyo because, so far, they are complete kings of the best restaurant signs out there. It is clear that they put in 100% when it comes to finding the best jokes that will put smiles on their customer’s faces.
Living in a time when we should measure every word we say and every move we make, this is poignant as well as funny (remember what we said about their signs sometimes bordering on the philosophical?). El Arroyo gets a round of applause.
A good motive
This was put on a neighborhood bar’s window, and let us tell you; we have a feeling that someone might have been feeling very but very depressed that day. Or maybe they were just out of any good ideas and used the first that came into their minds.
Whatever it was, we still think that the collapse of our society is not a good reason to close a bar so early. Seriously, it’s when society collapses that people need to go to the bar the most. Or are our priorities out of order?
Addiction
First of all, addiction is nothing to joke about. However, if the addiction is about something like the hokey pokey, then we can understand it. This is pun-making at its finest, and we gave a good chuckle when we read this one.
For those who don’t know, Hokey Pokey is a dance for kids, where one of the moves is to “turn yourself around.” We hear it’s also a kind of ice cream, but that doesn’t create a perfect pun. Pardon us while we have a dance break.
We have a question!
Okay, we have a question. We just read the sign twice, and we like the idea of no menus. But what we do not understand is how the restaurant will serve you what you deserve. Do they read our auras?
It might be a bit scary, but we have to admit that it is intriguing too, especially if the people reading this have curious personalities. As you might have guessed, we need the address of this place ASAP. We want to have our vibes analyzed!
El Arroyo once again
The more you read this joke below, the more you understand that the guy behind all these signs is a dad. A very bored dad who comes up with dad jokes. The good thing about it? The more you read them, the better they get.
And as you might have guessed, we had to read it a couple of times to get it. So if you did that too, you’re not alone. For those who still don’t get it, keep on reading it. You will discover it eventually.
1995
We don’t know about you but us, we would love to go back in time, and going back to ’95 sounds pretty fun. Everything was so much easier back then. No social media, no phones, less technology, more human interaction.
Sure, technology can help us keep in touch with our loved ones that are far away, but technology can also do the opposite to the people we love. So, should we try to live more like it’s ’95 and less like it’s 2021?
No time for that
If you seriously take time in your precious life reading that mathematical equation, then it means you have some free time on your hands, or really like math. We, even though we have free time too, lack the patience necessary for reading it.
But, even though we did not bother to read the whole numbers and words combo, one word got our attention: whiskey. And even if it’s not our favorite, it made us so happy seeing it. Since it was the only thing we knew out of all of it.
Missing El Aroyo?
If you were missing El Aroyo’s jokes and wondered if we had more funny signs from them, well, here’s another one. The dad jokes struck again. This one makes us roll our eyes and smile at the same time. Love it.
We never saw it or thought of it that way, but hey, we think that we might be social vegans too. And we know some people who are social and regular vegans. Should we form a new group based on this sign?
El Aroyo- philosophy
Here is your daily dose of philosophy and philosophical questions that will have you looking for the answers for hours. It looks like this restaurant not only delivers dad jokes but philosophical jokes too. To whoever came up with this: Thank you!
Now that we read it, we can not help but try to find the answer to it. And not only this, the question reminded us of a very traumatizing question that we used to think about: what came first, the egg or the chicken?
Uhm…okay
Who is going to tell him? Nowadays, we should not take things so literally. Or at least not in a situation like this one. Poor boss! All he always wanted was something to help attract more people to his bar.
And even though maybe some people out there will not find this funny, we are sure that many people laughed when they read this sign. And not only that, but it made them go inside and check the restaurant out.
The king of restaurant signs
At this point, it is fair to say that the staff of this El Aroyo restaurant is well aware that their puns made the place famous. And right when we thought that they could not come up with something funnier than before…
Here they strike again. This time using Nicki Minaj’s lyrics from her famous song, “Anaconda”, but adding a personal touch to it, you know, just to adapt it to the environment. And they did tremendously well! Even if you don’t know the song, it’s still hilarious.
He had one job
This guy had one job. And that one job was to write a good and decent ad that will make people want to check out their business. One little job, and he nailed it! Yes, the text may be the most simple of all.
But treasures always hide behind simplicity. And this one right here is a small timely treasure. We don’t know how many customers this ad brought to the business, but we are sure that many people smiled after they read it.
No flipping the table
This sign was framed and hung on a restaurant’s wall. We do not know if it was put there as a joke or as a warning sign. If this was a warning sign, then then we want to know what happened in the past in this place.
And we really need to know what happened and what made the person get so angry that they wanted to “flick” the table. Also, we want the graphic designer that made this. It takes talent to make a stick figure look angry.
Not only jokes
It looks like this Mexican restaurant specializes in puns, jokes, Tex-Mex cuisine, and relationships. At this point, even if one is not into Tex-Mex food, that person should still go there, at least for the fun that the staff brings to the table.
And speaking of fun, yes! What the banner says is true. A lot of time in a relationship is spent on the couple’s struggle to decide what to eat and where. Especially if you and your partner like different cuisines. But everyone likes Tex-Mex, right?
So convincing
This sign pictured below looks like it gives the customers so many possibilities, only to find out after reading everything that there is only one proper and correct choice. This is you, eating their famous meat that has an angelic taste.
While we appreciate a good and funny restaurant sign, we have to admit that this one is too long. Imagine being hangry trying to find what to order only to find out that this is not the menu but a no-option game. One can get really annoyed by it.
Short and simple
This sing is short and simple. No more beating around the bush to impress the client, and we love it. Not only is it quite funny, but looking at the crazy times we live in, it is pretty honest too.
If this sign is not the best sign to describe the actual situation in the world, then we don’t know what it is. Maybe it’s time to check out a local mom-and-pop cafe next time you’re scrolling through Uber Eats.
Sounds as good
They might not be able to turn water into wine but turning tacos into breakfast sounds as good. Actually, strike that – it sounds better. There are still some people out there that would judge someone for eating tacos for breaky.
But not the guys at this restaurant. The place is judge-free and, as you probably already know, filled with good vibes, good jokes, and puns. When it comes to the food, we feel that they are thriving in that section too.
Appreciation sign
There is nothing better than a loyal customer who knows that the business they love is going through a hard time and does anything he can to help it out. His actions were seen, and the staff made something in return for him.
The “Good Guy Greg” meme had to be used for this one. Even though the customer had a coffee brought from home to help the business, he ordered another coffee. Now, we need more customers like this one for all small restaurants.
Pettiness level: 100
This is very petty, but as we said earlier, we like petty. And not only do we like it but we are curious to see how the tears of this restaurant’s enemies taste like? We assume that their enemies are their competition.
It could be salty. It could be sweet. But one thing is for sure: if their competition sees the sign they put up, this restaurant will have to sell many bowls of soup because they will have a serious stock of tears there.
Makes sense
Clear as it gets! Anything that is not related to Elephant it’s nothing but Irrelephant. At this point, we are really curious to see who is the person behind this restaurant’s sign art. He is a pun genius, and he needs to know it.
And if he knows it, he needs to listen to us repeating to them because there is some serious talent involved here. Nonetheless, it’s fair to say that it’s with these signs that the restaurant gained part of its clientele.
The realness
One thing is for sure: straight-up and real people are not really that easy to tolerate. Truth can hurt sometimes, and it seems like Wendy’s staff does not know this. How was the manager OK with this being put up there? We don’t know.
But if he did not approve it and yet someone still managed to put it up there, then someone must have been in real trouble that day. All we can hope, at this point, is that nobody lost their job that day.
8 Days in a week
Listen, if they decide that we should have 8 days in a week, we would not have anything against it if that 8th day would be a part of the weekend. If it’s not going to be, then we have a problem.
But all jokes aside, we don’t know who did this sign, but for sure, that person skipped his math class. There is something we can not understand, how did this person get from 7 days of the week to 9 (8 + Sunday)?
El Aroyo again
Still not impressed with the puns that El Aroyo put in front of their restaurant? Well, here is another one that might make you change your mind if you like jokes on the clever side. Sure, this time, the joke is more subtle and more… mathematical.
So mathematical that only those who are into this subject will probably get it. The rest of us will just be here, acting like they got the joke and laughing, so the mathematicians will not figure out that, in fact, we did not get it. Just kidding; we did go to third grade.
Uh-Oh
It looks like someone was so over their bossy and annoying manager that they wanted to quit their job. And they clearly did it in style. So in-style that it may have made the business lose an employee and some customers.
Because let’s be honest. As good as this restaurant cooks the chicken, nobody will want to pay for something uneatable. Let’s just hope this is the work of gravity pulling the B down and not the work of unhappy employees.
Cop dogs
We will finish in style with a very philosophical question that left us thinking about it for hours. Do you think that normal dogs freak out when they see police dogs, the way we do when we see police officers on duty?
If so, we are so curious to see what they do? Do they try to act normal and play it cool the way us, human, do, or they lose it and start to look suspicious. This would be something we would want to witness.