Tasty Kabob challenged CORE to develop a first generation prototype design that translates the original food truck concept into a new, clean and timeless, yet modern design with a memorable visual identity, one that represents an Afghani cuisine centered around food honesty.

Tasty Kabob is a fresh halal food truck concept that currently has six trucks operating in the Washington, DC area. The client’s goal was to expand its business by adapting its original concept into welcoming brick and mortar locations. CORE worked closely with the client on the prototype design for the first location in Tysons, VA, which included the design for the space’s storefront and building façade, in addition to the interior. The vision for the fast casual restaurant focused on providing the favorite Afghani cuisine of the founders, father and son team John and Steve Hanifi, without creating an “ethnic” feeling restaurant. Thus, the team prioritized envisioning the brand and architecture as new, clean, and fresh versus an “old country” heritage throwback. An inviting seating area and well thought through queue line create an intuitive and efficient fast casual dining experience. To accommodate Tasty Kabob’s emphasis on order-ahead and delivery, the team focused on the pre-ordering process, providing a designated queue and pick-up area to maximize speed of service. Photography: Ron Ngiam