Happy Eater
Source: motorwayservices.uk License: All Rights Reserved.
Happy Eater was a regional chain of roadside restaurants in England and Wales aimed at families. It was prominent during the 1970s and 1980s and became defunct in 1997.
It is now rather hard to find examples of the wordmark in use. These examples are the best ones I’ve found on Motorway Services Online; there a few more if you like looking at bad scans and vintage 1980 car parks.
The words “Happy Eater” are drawn red on yellow in Charleston which accompanies a (happy looking?) stylised mouth agape (apparently the mouth is called Fat Charlie). Although the restaurant chain predates the 1980 release of the videogame Pac-Man, surely the logo was inspired by Pac-Man and must come after it (logopedia disagrees, but places this version of the logo between 1985 and 1993).
Source: motorwayservices.uk License: All Rights Reserved.
Source: www.sabre-roads.org.uk License: All Rights Reserved.
Promo sticker with “I’m a” added in a different font
Source: hamandeggerfiles.blogspot.com License: All Rights Reserved.
Promo badges. Left-hand badge has dodgy apostrophe placement; right-hand badge has “I’m a” in a different font, possibly Albertus.
Source: www.flickr.com Leo Reynolds. License: CC BY-NC-SA.
Source: www.flickr.com David Howard. License: All Rights Reserved.
Apex Corner, London, 1980s
Source: www.flickr.com Jodi Crisp. License: CC BY-NC-SA.
Napkin
Source: www.flickr.com C r u s a d e r. License: All Rights Reserved.
Sign near Birmingham
Source: www.flickr.com Tony Watson. License: All Rights Reserved.
Taken in June 1981 in Purley: “Three things all in the past: AN 259, the Happy Eater chain, and the occasional extension of the 405 route to Handcross numbered 455.”
Source: www.flickr.com Lawrie Harris. License: All Rights Reserved.
Taken in 1981 at the then new Friary Bus Station in Guildford
This post was originally published at Fonts In Use