The Courtesy Diner is an iconic St. Louis greasy spoon. Their claim to fame is the Slinger. A dish that combines eggs, chili, breakfast meat, cheese and hash browns.

Although, original built in 1935, the client wanted to focus on the post-World War II era that made this diner a St. Louis landmark. He wanted a menu that would remind people of soda jerks, poodle skirts and home-made food.

I began by researching diners of this era for inspiration and found a common graphic element in in the checkerboard pattern. The Courtesy Diner currently uses plates with a black and white checker pattern around the edge.

I also wanted to ensure the typography stayed true to the era. This was a pre-Helvetica era, where fonts such as Trade Gothic were widely used. Hand-lettering was also often found in advertisements and objects of the time. The red, black and white color palette also reflects the store fronts of The Courtesy Diner restaurants.

View an example of the original menu here.