Moe’s Original BBQ invites guests to drink and dine in a timeless, social setting. The brand comes to life through the legacy of Moses Day, a legend of Alabama BBQ. Rooted in authenticity, Moe’s is an invitation to slow down, gather, and savor what matters.

Over the course of six months, I was solely responsible for leading the full user experience, from initial stakeholder alignment to final delivery, while also owning all art direction and photography. Every visual, from the raw ingredient compositions to the moody, atmospheric portraits, was crafted to evoke curiosity and warmth without pretense. The copy follows suit, never taking itself too seriously and always grounded in human connection.

This is more than just BBQ. It is a place, physical and digital, where everyone belongs. A reminder that life tastes better when shared.

Evolving a brand

Modern brands don’t stand still. They adapt, refine, and reimagine to stay meaningful in a changing world. The Moe’s website had served its purpose well—but the world had moved on, and it was time the digital experience did too. To meet today’s expectations and tomorrow’s opportunities, we needed to evolve. That meant taking a clear-eyed look at what was working, what wasn’t, and rebuilding the site to better reflect the heart of the brand—and the people it serves.

Quote:

"The best BBQ places don’t just serve great food; they tell a story with every bite."

Creating the Moes EXPERIENCE

Designing the Moe’s experience online meant capturing the soul of Southern hospitality in a digital space. It wasn’t about recreating the restaurant—it was about translating its spirit. We focused on clarity, warmth, and momentum, building an experience that welcomes guests, moves them forward with intention, and reflects the brand’s roots in community and craft.

Website Goals

• Mobile Optimization: Ensure the website is mobile-friendly for on-the-go exploration.

• Fast Load Times: Prioritize speed, especially for high-resolution images and ordering features.

• Easy Navigation: Use intuitive navigation so Jake can quickly find menus, locations, and online ordering without digging through pages.

Branding

Moes falls into the Quick-Service and Fast Casual Restaurant category, but it’s food is anything but Quick smoking starts at 6 am every morning for an authentic BBQ experience. In our process, every asset and interaction must support the story and enhance the overall experience. We used the textures and palettes from the food to enhance the online experience and brand story.

Task Flow

We redesigned the task flow for Moe’s Original BBQ to prioritize speed, clarity, and local relevance. Most visitors come to the site looking for a nearby location, so we streamlined access to the Locations page, integrated Google Maps for easy navigation, and connected Toast for seamless online ordering. We also structured the menu and catering flows to feel intuitive and effortless, reinforcing Moe’s commitment to hospitality from the very first click.

Mid-Fidelity Prototype

A distinct aspect of the mid-fidelity prototype was our decision to begin with asset capture. By using real photography from the outset, we brought authenticity to every stage of the process. Close collaboration with stakeholders ensured that each design decision was grounded in reality, allowing the prototype to reflect not only the structure of the site, but the creative intent behind it.

Takeaways

This project was shaped through close collaboration with a thoughtful partner and an engaged stakeholder team. Together, we transformed a complex set of requirements into a streamlined experience that is clear, purposeful, and rooted in the brand’s story. The physical store served as both inspiration and constraint, requiring every design decision to balance functionality with narrative clarity.

A key metric we tracked was time spent on site, averaging just 51 seconds. That was not a compromise; it was the objective. The site was not built to hold attention but to guide it. It was designed to get guests where they needed to go, without friction or distraction. That clarity of purpose is paying off. Today, mobile engagement accounts for 30 percent of all traffic, a sign that the experience is working where it matters most—in the hands of the guest.