Lemonade, a California-based fast casual brand known for its seasonal food and drink hosted a grand re-opening of their Toluca Lake location in October to celebrate a remodel and new prototype launch. Inspired by sister brand Modern Market’s 2020 prototype launch that served as a tool to initiate a franchise program, this prototype will prepare the Lemonade brand for its next phase of growth.
Poised for brand expansion, the remodel will streamline back-of-house efficiencies which ultimately drive an improved labor model and overall unit economics. The evolved design better aligns with the sophisticated lifestyle and eating habits of the modern guest, producing a better guest experience. The Lemonade brand believes in sourcing close to home – from vendor partners to ingredients – and that consistency was represented in the redesign. Staying true to local roots, the Lemonade team worked closely with local artists, fabricators, and firms to bring the remodel to life with touches of California eating and living.
A variety of enhancements were completed, including digital drink menus that simultaneously play branded storytelling videos about the company’s made-to-order lemonades using real fruits and herbs. This was a crucial part in sharing Lemonade’s commitment to being an innovative and technologically advanced concept. The new design adds more organic materials, colors, and textures to the restaurant – an intentional strategy that embodies nature rather than synthetics to complement Lemonade’s realness, from recipes to brand voice.
“This prototype serves a number of purposes for Lemonade and sister brand Modern Market as we look to build out each brand, and our growing restaurant portfolio,” says Rob McColgan, CEO and Co-Founder of Modern Restaurant Concepts, the parent company for both brands. “We have a clear vision in mind to curate the restaurant platform of the future, and this redesign enables us to communicate that with each guest and partner in traditional and non-traditional spaces.”
Following Modern Market’s footsteps in tapping into new business strategies, the prototype helps Lemonade continue to make strides in communicating the brand’s vision and identity in offering seasonal, healthy, and prepared foods. Even with these improvements, Lemonade remains anchored by its fresh array of marketplace sides and handcrafted lemonades in a modern, Southern California setting.
“The Toluca Lake location serves as a baseline to further test the best business strategies and processes so Lemonade can continue to evolve,” says McColgan. “Building off internal and external growth, there was a lot of behind-the-scenes work that prepared the brand for the prototype and redesign.”
This is a crucial step toward a larger vision of being a fast casual concept scaled for aggressive growth – nationally and internationally, in the near future.
