Little Chihuahua Lifts TCB Courier's Logo in Search of Mission Cred, Still Hawks Boring Mexican Food

— By Kevin Montgomery (@kevinmonty) |

With the Lower Haight and Noe Valley-based Mexican restaurant already two weeks into their arrival on the “hot” Valencia Street corridor, we're only now realizing that their 'edgy' rebrand for the Mission looks eerily familiar to Mission-born TCB Courier's.  We can only assume the Chipotle-esque chain paid a marketing firm good money to create a brand that “captures” the spirit of the neighborhood, but they accomplished that goal in the lamest way possible.

It's worth noting that TCB's logo itself is an update of the New York Hardcore insignia (and, by extention, every other logo made ever), albeit a much more creative—and appropriate—refresh (especially considering TCB, at the very least, meets the very minimum requirement for “hardcore” and Little Chihuahua makes 8 different varieties of tostada salads with lime-cilantro salad dressing. But, I digress…).

Anyway, I'm sure we can look forward to some backpedalling from “TLC” in the near future.

[TLC signage photo by bubbletea1/Eater SF]

Comments (14)

james's picture james | []

Hold on a minute… I have no comment on the sign but I cannot, in good conscience, allow you to continue slagging Little Chihuahua’s food. Like anyone else in our fair (and today fairly wet) city I eat my share of burritos, usually alternating between Papalote, Little Chihuahua (on Divis) and Farolito. I would hold up LC’s garlic shrimp burrito against any others in the city. “Boring”? Meh… what makes Mexican food edgy anyway?

Miam's picture Miam | []

That style of “logo” has been used one too many times

Eric Gregory's picture Eric Gregory | []

Am I the only one who thinks of frozen yogurt every time someone mentions TCB Courier?

Tuffy's picture Tuffy | []

You might as well throw Southern Pacific’s logo in there as well.

luke's picture luke | []

The biggest problem with the new little chihuahua is the lack of nachos and the lack of chairs with suns. Is this 3 store chain run by some large company like Chipotle that I don’t know about or is it a problem that they are successful enough to have 3 stores? TCB Courier has three zones, that is sounding a little too large for me.

Skinny's picture Skinny | []

NYHC stole the logo from SF bluegrass band Beauty Operators fb.com/BeautyOperators.
Note spelling is “hock”, not “hawk”.

I love me some Super Carne Asada Burrito with Black Beans's picture I love me some Super Carne Asada Burrito with Black Beans | []

Um… have you actually tried Chihuahua’s food? Because if the mission version is anything like the lower haight version, it rips ½ of the mexican joints in the Mission to shreds. Without the food poisoning. Or the need to be thoroughly intoxicated before ingesting. Don’t even get me started about the chipolte reference- if you really think a 3-store SF mexican joint is akin to Chipolte, the McDonalds of Mexican, you need your pretentious prick of a head examined. And the marketing? Who cares? I guess it was a slow news day….

I think before I type but I just don't care's picture I think before I type but I just don't care | []

Yes, the logo sucks. But the fact is that almost all logos suck. In fact, the whole notion of logos pretty much sucks the bag. It’s just another form of corporate branding, and fuck that shit.

As far as Little Chihuahua on Valencia Street goes, the problem is not Little Chihuahua - the problem is Valencia Street. Or, excuse me, the “Valencia Street Corridor”. You guys over there west of Mission lost your cred for the autenticos antijitos Mexicanos about 20 years ago when Luna Park opened up. Now you have Regalito and Tacolicious, and yet you compare Little Chihuahua to Chipotle. Perhaps you would be happier with a Valencia branch of Nopalito or Tropisueño? Cause they’re super authentic and White People approved! Please… if it weren’t for La Cumbre and El Buen Sabor, which are both pretty mediocre by Mission standards, the “Valencia Corridor” might as well be the Marina for all the difference I can see. So quit bitchin’ about just another excellent restaurant, it’s “lack of authenticity”, and it’s “copycat logo”. Sheesh, you shouldn’t be skipping class anyways.

Salsa Shark's picture Salsa Shark | []

If X logos have been around forever and TCB stole it anyway, who the fuck cares about TLC making one more?

Logo In a Tea Cup's picture Logo In a Tea Cup | []

A) who cares B) the food is good C) this why the Mission gets a bad rap D) who cares. TCB ripped off Elvis, who is the King of ripping off things, since that how all things are made. Go play in the rain folks.