City Line Café: Brand + Environmental Marketing Design
Cafe Visual Systems +
On-Site Campaigns
Brand + Sub-Brand Systems • Menu Design • Environmental Signage • Guest Experience
Led Integrated Design Systems and Strategy as In-House Creative Director
TL;DR
Creative systems designed to scale across café openings and branded environments. From airport cafés to corporate HQs, this work delivered consistent signage, menus, and promotional content that supported operations, elevated guest experience, and upheld brand standards at every touchpoint.
MY ROLE
Creative Direction, Brand Systems, Visual Identity, Campaign Strategy, Messaging, Art Direction, Environmental Design
PEOPLE
2x Visual Designers
1x Marketing Director
1x Web Developer
As Creative Director at Food for Thought, I built a unified café branding system applied across multiple RFP wins and new café launches. The goal was to create consistency across every touchpoint, from menus and signage to promotions and digital assets, while keeping the system adaptable and fast to deploy.
The framework was first applied at United, where we launched three cafés including The Hub at O’Hare, The Hub @ NOC, and The Hub @ Aviate Academy in Arizona. Each space required cohesive signage, kiosk ordering, and branded promotions aligned with United’s standards, while still allowing for localized guest engagement.
Following that success, the system expanded into City Line Café at President’s Plaza and the full redesign of UL Solutions Café. At UL, we also introduced Love at First Bite, the first in a series of themed lobby activations designed to connect café culture with building-wide experiences.
Beyond café openings, we partnered with United on Fantasy Flight, a volunteer-led event for families that required specialized branding and event support. This project showed how the system could extend into cultural moments, driving engagement on-site and across social channels.
The Hub Cafe at United O’Hare
United Airlines Café Openings
Partnering with United Airlines, I led creative for multiple café openings and brand activations that served airline staff and airport personnel daily. The work spanned environmental design, signage systems, and promotional campaigns, all built to align with United’s brand standards while supporting the pace and demands of high-volume food service. Beyond café launches, we extended the creative into annual events and social content, ensuring consistency across on-site experiences and digital storytelling.
United Café Signage + Guest Touchpoints
Digital Kiosk Ordering (Toast Platform)
Marketing Collateral within Visual System
Branded Campaign Creative (United Teasers)
Foodhall Brand Integration (Café Servery)
Café Website System (Menus & Promotions)
Menu System Design & Digital Displays
Digital Campaign in United Employee Monitor Network
A Proud Partner of United’s Annual Fantasy Flight Event
At O’Hare, we supported United Airlines’ annual Fantasy Flight, a volunteer-driven event that transforms the airport into a holiday experience for children and families in need. Food For Thought donated catering, staff, and services, while I led creative efforts to showcase our involvement through branded visuals and social storytelling. The goal was to highlight FFT’s role in the event while amplifying the spirit of giving, community, and partnership that makes Fantasy Flight a holiday tradition.
Promotional Partnerships: United’s Fantasy Flight
Instagram: United’s Fantasy Flight @ O’Hare
Instagram: The Hub Cafe @ O’Hare Launch
City Line Cafe at President’s Plaza in Chicago, Illinois
City Line Café + Loop Lounge Openings
As the result of another successful RFP process, Food For Thought assumed operations of City Line Café at President’s Plaza in February 2025. I led the creative transition, developing a full suite of branded assets to integrate FFT’s food hall system into the space while aligning with the building’s established identity.
Deliverables included menu boards, display and informational signage, directional wayfinding, website design, and promotional displays & campaigns. The work ensured a seamless handoff under new management while elevating the café’s visibility and guest experience.
Branded in-café signage
City Line + Loop Lounge website
City Line + Loop Lounge branded signage and marketing
4x menu design with promotional & information screens
Love at First Bite On-site Event
As the first seasonal promotion at City Line Café, Love at First Bite was designed to spark guest engagement while also showcasing FFT’s catering capabilities at the café, building, and event level. I directed the creative across menu signage, digital displays, and promotional assets, extending the story into social content for added reach. This activation was also the first in a series of themed lobby events staged between Loop Lounge and City Line Café, positioning FFT as both a daily dining solution and a catering partner capable of creating memorable experiences beyond the café itself.
Love at First Bite event invite
Love at First Bite rose card w/ QR code
Love at First Bite event photography
UL Solutions Cafe in Northbrook, Illinois
UL Solutions Café Redesign + Opening
At UL’s Northbrook headquarters, FFT partnered with their team to redesign and rebuild the existing café from the ground up. I led the creative for the new system, which included menu boards, digital displays, promotional signage, and environmental branding that elevated the day-to-day experience for employees.
The work integrated FFT’s food hall design system with UL’s corporate identity, transforming the café into a modern, on-brand space that reinforced both hospitality and workplace culture.
Branded in-cafe signage
UL Solutions Cafe 4x Menu Board
Cityline Café Branded Interior Signage
World Tour Signage with QR Menu
Ventura Market & Deli Branding
House of Za Signage with QR Menu
Web and collateral signage for UL Solutions Cafe
UL Solutions Cafe’s Catering Showcase Event
Alongside the café redesign, FFT partnered with UL on a large-scale corporate event hosted at their Northbrook headquarters. I directed the creative for catering collateral, on-site signage, and branded touchpoints that tied the event experience back to the newly refreshed café identity. The work showcased FFT’s ability to flex from daily food service into high-impact corporate catering, reinforcing our role as a partner for both workplace dining and signature events.
UL Branded Fruit Display
Breakfast Fan Favorites Signage
Event Guests Sampling Showcase Menu
Spring/Summer Specials Showcase
Instagram: Catering Showcase at UL Solutions HQ
LinkedIn: Café Opening & Catering Showcase
Instagram: Workplace Dining Showcase Post
Instagram: Café Program Launch Event Post
Across café openings, seasonal promos, and corporate events, I built a creative system that could flex and grow. It gave operations clear tools, kept the brand consistent, and made the guest experience more engaging.
From everyday menus to lobby activations to executive events, the work showed how smart creative direction can elevate both the dining experience and how people see catering as a whole.