Panihole Mobile Fare — Jim Kennelly

Panihole - Mobile Fare

Panihole is a re-imagined food truck concept located in San Diego California. Inspired by the past, but uniquely designed for right now, a Panihole sandwich is crafted with high quality ingredients and designed to be enjoyed anywhere with anyone. This is a truly one of a kind food product that is intentionally novel but surprisingly functional.

Food & Beverage, Hospitality
Brand Strategy, Brand Identity
Summer 2023

Background

Founders Mike Donahue and Lauren Walker are two ambitious creative types that have a particular affinity for mobility, multi functional small spaces, and fast food. So naturally, in 2023, they set out to create a food truck concept that became a physical manifestation of their joint love for storytelling, nostalgia, and low brow food fare.

When it came to designing the product, they didn’t want to join the crowded food truck market offering the typical street tacos or the like... Instead, they set out to create something that had never been done before.

What they came up with would later be coined the Panihole. These cylindrical sammys are stuffed with savory fillings inspired by vintage diner classics like the Rueben, French Dip, or Cobb Salad. The name Panihole is a playful, tongue in cheek derivative of the words pan (Latin for bread) and hole, which describes the style of the bread/sandwich and a nod to the truck’s geometric application of circles (more on this later.).

At the end of the day, Panihole is much more than a food truck. This should be an escape for people… A transport to a bygone era and a break from modern life. This doesn’t mean “old”, but more inspired by the care-free attitude of a post-war era.

From Roadside motel post cards, to slightly misogynistic copywriting and Googi inspired design elements... Mid-century influence is sprinkled throughout the brand expression.

The crown jewel of the Panihole experience has to be the Pani-Vanette. A salvaged, and fully restored 1969 Ford parcel delivery truck.

Originally used as a bread delivery truck, this beauty has it all. Utility, grace, and curves... In all the right places. With her round windows, bubbly body styling, and beady round headlights in the front, this Ford Vanette became a very intentional design choice for the brand story.

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Archived sales brochures were dug up to better understand the the history of these trucks, but they also served as important inspiration for the brand. The color and tone of voice found in these pages helped guide the brand expression and deliver on the ever-present sense of nostalgia.

Sammys with a side of sexy.

Theres really no ignoring the sexual undertones of this brand. Everything from the name, to the oddly falic sandwich shapes. We really like to lean into the sexy, and the illustration content is no exception. When executing the visuals we like to pull influence from the overly misogynistic and sexualized ad style of the 1950s. It's a nod to the past and how far we have (or have not) come as a society. Because one things for sure, sex sells (sandwiches).