Bringing the Legend to Life: Designing the New Yak Head Logo for Yaks
I recently had the absolute pleasure of working with one of Northern California’s most beloved restaurant brands—Yaks—to design their bold new yak head logo. If you’ve ever had the chance to stop at one of their locations, you know Yaks is more than just great food. It’s a full-on experience—famous for its unforgettable burgers, creative atmosphere, and loyal fanbase that stretches far beyond the local crowd.
When Yaks approached me about refreshing their yak mascot, I knew right away this project was going to be special. The goal was to create a clean, strong, and instantly recognizable logo that captured the spirit of the brand—rugged, fun, a little wild, and 100% original.
Behind the scenes Mike Morgan Logo design art for Yaks Mt ShastaBehind the scenes Mike Morgan Logo design art for Yaks Mt ShastaWe started with hand-drawn concept sketches—dozens of them—to explore different styles and personalities for the yak. From cool and confident to tough and cheeky, each sketch brought something unique to the table. After gathering feedback from their team and their loyal fans on social media, we narrowed it down and digitized the favorites to develop clean, versatile versions that would work on everything from menus to signage, merch, stickers, and social posts.
The final result is a confident, character-rich yak head that feels right at home on a burger wrapper or a highway billboard. It’s simple, scalable, and true to the Yaks identity. Whether you’re grabbing a burger on the I-5 or following them online, this new logo is built to represent Yaks with style and strength.
Big thanks to Nancy and the entire team at Yaks for trusting me with this project. It’s always an honor to help build visual identities that people instantly connect with—and even more rewarding when it’s for a brand that’s already a NorCal legend.
Stay tuned—we’ve got more creative work in the pipeline together.
Need a brand refresh or custom logo?
Let’s bring your vision to life. Contact me here to get started.