Launched in 2005, Eater helps people eat out better, wherever they are or wherever they are going.

As the brand evolved from a website-first publisher into an app-driven platform with in-person experiences, it required an identity system that could strengthen its digital presence while operating confidently beyond the screen.

Eater did not require a radical redesign. Champions was brought in to meaningfully elevate and expand what they already had.

We did a deep dive on wordmark history (it was inspired by the signage outside of what was once Florent in the Meatpacking District) and a broad exploration to bracket what’s possible , then got to work on optimizing the equity we found.

Eater began as a restaurant industry blog in New York City.  They expanded across North America and were then acquired by Vox Media. 

Since 2020, they have launched a show on Hulu, published a series with Abrams Books, and in 2024 launched their app.

In 2025, they celebrated twenty years as a comprehensive food media brand and shifted their business focus to the app.

Then in May 2026, just as this project wrapped, Vox Media was split and sold to the Murdoch family with Eater going to Penske Media.

To build a brand that would support the shift from web to app, Champions worked with longtime collaborator Tobias Frere-Jones to modernize and optimize the logotype, then extend it to a full typeface. 

With willful asymmetry and intermittent deco references, the new typeface grows the mark to a full brand language.

A bespoke symbol suite, drawn from the logotype’s geometry, extends the brand into the app, supporting navigation while introducing subtle moments of delight.

The symbols are also used as a badging system for digital and physical applications. 

The updated brand system is built around Eater’s ‘E’ and unmistakable red. 

Through a suite of custom behaviors, the E comes to life and adopts restaurant vernacular. 

The expanded color palette optimizes for Eater red and points to a new sophistication. 

A badging system was developed to support the  “E” and the new symbol suite.

The shapes draw inspiration from familiar motifs in dining, like the scalloped awning at your neighborhood cafe or the decorated tiling on the bistro walls. 

To further deepen the connection to food and community, the brand pattern makes use of a classic gingham that you would find at your favorite Italian spot.

The gingham can scale and change color, and always houses the Eater “E”.