QSR Brand:
Mr. Blanco’s
What: QSR burger concept
Where: Mexico City, Mexico
When: Opened 2020 - Present
Overview
Mr. Blanco’s is my third restaurant concept, launched in 2020 in Mexico City during the height of the pandemic. What started as a tight, slider-focused fast food project quickly found its audience—and then grew beyond what any of us expected.
The original concept was straightforward: classic American sliders, fresh donut holes (we called them Blanquitos), tater tots, and an irreverent tone rooted in nostalgia. But over time, and in response to our guests, the menu expanded to include traditionally sized burgers, crispy chicken bites (Pollitos), and most recently, a new line of healthy, flavor-packed bowls under a sub-brand called Mr. Blanco’s Bowls (coming soon to its own page).
In the early days, we also opened a number of delivery-only dark kitchens across Mexico City to meet pandemic-era demand, bringing our total location count to seven at one point—including two permanent brick-and-mortar shops. Today, Mr. Blanco’s is still growing, and our fans have remained wildly loyal—some even getting tattoos of our logo or characters.
Our initial concept was for Mr. Blanco to exist as an human-like mascot.
History & Naming
After Upton Sinclair wrote The Jungle, ground beef consumption plummeted to an all time low in The States. To combat this, the first ever fast food chain pulled from hospital design, making their spaces feel pure, clean, palatial, and orderly. They called their concept White Castle. The marketing worked, and throughout the 1920’s and 1930’s a number of copy cat restaurants opened with names like White Manna, White Rose System, White’s Diner, White Towers, and more! They all focused on cleanliness and efficiency, serving mini-burgers (now called Sliders) from their small shops.
Wanting to honor those traditions, I knew that White would need to be in the name. But of course that would needed to be adapted for my market. So I went with Blanco. And because so many famous fast food chains are headed up by a mascot I thought to call it Señor Blanco’s. Finally in an attempt to pay a wink toward its roots north of the border, I subbed the Señor for a Mr. – and Mr. Blanco’s was born.
Branding
As the brand evolved, so did the visual identity. We began our creative collaboration with a Mexico City-based studio, now known as Plan Scusi, and together we developed a bold, colorful brand universe full of personality.
The design language took inspiration from classic fast food iconography but reimagined it with saturated color palettes, playful typography, and a cast of unique burger characters—each representing a different flavor. These characters quickly became beloved mascots and helped define Mr. Blanco’s as more than just a place to eat—it was an experience.
Our packaging system was equally thoughtful. We developed modular, interlocking boxes for burgers and sides that fit snugly inside custom bags—playful, functional, and highly Instagrammable.
While we originally launched with no customization, we listened to our guests and evolved. Today, guests can personalize their meals, though our signature builds remain the heart of the menu.
Locations
Mr. Blanco’s Juarez
179 Liverpool
Colonia Cuahtémoc
06600 Mexico City, CDMX
Mr. Blanco’s Coyoacán
2553 Avenida División del Norte
04100 Mexico City, CDMX
Store Design
Matthew Kennedy of MKTA and I designed the first Mr. Blanco’s store. The small, always-open shop only features a protruding griddle that lands just inches from the sidewalk, creating space for guests to huddle around the food prep area while they mainline their burgers and tots into the wee-hours of the night. The space also features a duplicate kitchen in the back, allowing us to fulfill delivery options without having to interrupt the in-restaurant dining experience.
Aesthetically, the space is decked out in white handcrafted Mexican tile, with all fixtures and furniture custom fabricated in metal, and then hand-painted white to reference the Puestos (street food stands) located all over the city. A custom light fixture was spans the center of the ceiling, and is capable of changing to every color imaginable, triggered by special events in the restaurant (like birthdays!)
