Have you ever observed how most fast food places are red? It’s one of the most popular colors in retail, advertising, and labeling, and the list of companies that use it in their branding is seemingly endless: McDonald’s, Burger King, Wendy’s, In-N-Out, Dairy Queen, Carl’s Jr. and Hardee’s, Pizza Hut, Five Guys, Chick-fil-A, Sonic, Popeyes, KFC, Arby’s, and so on. So, what’s the deal?

The history of Red

The typical person can perceive ten million different hues, but red is unique. It turns out that it was one among the first hues that our ancient forefathers considered important enough to designate. Before alphabets and writing, ancient human tongues were unexpectedly… uninteresting. There were terms for “black,” “white,” and “red,” but there wasn’t much else. In reality, blue did not appear until thousands of years later.

As a result, humans have a stronger emotional attachment to red than any other hue on the range, and we react to it in ways that benefit fast-food corporations. For instance, studies have shown that the color red may elicit a sense of desperation. Furthermore, it has an intrinsic tendency to stimulate our appetites. When you combine those two factors, you have the perfect recipe for attracting hungry clients who need meals quickly.

Red is attention-grabbing

According to studies, the color red is quite efficient in attracting customers. It makes you stop and look in the same way that speeding red automobiles do, attracting the attention of traffic authorities more frequently than vehicles with less conspicuous paint treatments. Red restaurants, on the other hand, increase your appetite, creating sensations of hunger even if you’ve recently eaten. 

Red asserts dominance

Red also expresses dominance, which may explain why you prefer McDonald’s to drowsy purple Taco Bell. It’s similar to wearing a red gown to a wedding. Nobody is looking at the bride now; everyone is staring at you. The hue elicits excitement, which is associated with impulsiveness, a lack of self-discipline, and the danger of purchasing more than you require. Your pulse rate increases, your breathing becomes harder, and before you realize it, you’ve set your eyes on the drive-thru. Red is also not associated with leisure (cooler colours like green, blue, and purple are), so you’re less likely to stay out and more likely to grab what you need and get out.

The psychology of red

Red is considered to arouse and thrill, and it is associated with enthusiasm and intensity. In connection to food: Increases appetite; when we see red, we receive an adrenaline rush; similarly, when we are ready to eat, neurons fire up in the hypothalamus region of the brain. It is also known to stimulate neural signals and raise the pulse rate.