Z Counter
Z Counter is located within Corpus Christi, Texas and is a local "hole in the wall" counter service offering varied Asian eats such as banh mi sandwiches, noodle soups & rice bowls. Z Counter lacked immersive storytelling and an engaging customer experience.
Understanding User Experience and Space | Case Study | Partner Project
Z Counter Ordering Counter
Z Counter Exterior
Z Counter Menu
Project Goals and Overview
Clarify & Simplify
Connect through Storytelling
Elevate the brand
Streamlined the menu, app flow, and touchpoints to reduce confusion and boost customer confidence.
Added cultural storytelling and purposeful copy to build emotional connection and celebrate authenticity.
Unified voice, packaging, and digital moments to create a memorable, modern, and cohesive Z Counter experience.
Research Documents
Research
Map the Experience
Understanding the User
Identified customer needs, pain points, and behaviors through observations, interviews, and competitive analysis.
Documented current ordering flows, friction points, and brand gaps across digital and in-store touchpoints.
Define the Brand
Outlined clear areas for improvement—clarity, education, storytelling, and engagement—to guide all design decisions.
Research
Research Findings
Limited Engagement
Brand touchpoints lacked moments of interaction, education, or emotional connection.
Missed Guidance
Users wanted clearer ordering flows, visual cues, and explanations to feel supported from counter to checkout.
Low Awareness
Users were unsure about menu items, cultural context, and how to navigate choices confidently.
Research Findings
Target Audience
The Busy Foodie | 25-40 years old | Middle-Upper Class
This audience loves good food but has no time to overthink choices. Values convenience, straightforward ordering and confidence in what they choose. Extremely motivated by reliable meals with flavor, efficiency, loyalty rewards
The Family Chooser | 45-60 years old | Middle-Upper Class
This audience enjoys feeding multiple people in and out of their family with different tastes. They're motivated with easy-to-understand dishes, customization, clarity. They enjoy consistency, value, and meals that make everyone happy.
Branding & Mascot System
Brand Kit
The branding uses colors as functional descriptors to guide the menu while reflecting the vibrancy and flavors of Asian fusion cuisine. Typography was chosen to feel modern and approachable, balancing playful personality with a cohesive, memorable brand identity.
Bao!
The Monkey Bao Fusion mascot efficiently guides customers through the Asian fusion experience by adding a playful, recognizable character that highlights key menu items and reinforces the brand’s fun, approachable personality.
The Monkey Bao Fusion mascot efficiently guides customers through the Asian fusion experience by adding a playful, recognizable character that highlights key menu items and reinforces the brand’s fun, approachable personality.
Bao!
Logo + Variations
Centered around the experience and action of eating, using a pair of chopsticks lifting to “Z” to symbolize movement, flavor, and engagement. It’s clean, minimal structure makes it highly scalable. The result is a logo that feels alive, purposeful and ready to connect to with consumers.
Ephermal Stickers & Stamp Card
Packaging Design
Social Media Carousel
Social Media Story & Static Posts
Meet the Team!
So much went into this campaign, here's what we took on!
Social Media Reel & Static Posts
Abigail
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Project & Presentation Manager
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Information Visualization
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Ephermal Stamp Card
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Experience Design (Packaging)
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Social Media Static & Carousel Posts
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Art Director
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Space Mockups
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Outdoor/ Ordering Wayfinding
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Experience Design (Packaging)
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Ephemeral Stickers