# Why are generic chinese restaurant signs always yellow & red? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [February 10, 2004, 1:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-generic-chinese-restaurant-signs-always-yellow-red/228441 "2004-02-10T13:54:15Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 9\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Fear\_Itself](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fear_itself/32/19637_2.png) [@Fear\_Itself](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fear_Itself)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2004, 1:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-generic-chinese-restaurant-signs-always-yellow-red/228441/1 "2004-02-10T13:54:15Z")
I have lived all over the country and have noticed that no matter where I go there are always some small mom & pop chinese restaurants that have nearly identical signs. They have red lettering (usually a variation of Golden Dragon/Phoenix/Lion) on a bright yellow background, and some chinese characters. Why the uniformity of signage? Are they franchises, or do they all just buy them from the same place? Or is there some cultural significance with red and yellow? ---
**Author:** ![Duke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e8c25b/32.png) [@Duke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duke)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2004, 2:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-generic-chinese-restaurant-signs-always-yellow-red/228441/2 "2004-02-10T14:14:43Z")
A simple answer: take a look at the colors of the Chinese flag. I can’t say with 100% certainty that that’s the answer, but it seems eminently logical to me. ---
**Author:** ![don\_t\_ask](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e68b1a/32.png) [@don\_t\_ask](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/don_t_ask)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2004, 2:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-generic-chinese-restaurant-signs-always-yellow-red/228441/3 "2004-02-10T14:15:43Z")
The colours are considered lucky. ---
**Author:** ![dylan\_73](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ecccb3/32.png) [@dylan\_73](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dylan_73)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2004, 2:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-generic-chinese-restaurant-signs-always-yellow-red/228441/4 "2004-02-10T14:18:25Z")
Also, [“Red and gold are widely considered ‘lucky’ colors in Asian tradition.”](http://www.getcustoms.com/articles/iw0298.html) ---
**Author:** ![Philster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/13edae/32.png) [@Philster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Philster)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2004, 3:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-generic-chinese-restaurant-signs-always-yellow-red/228441/5 "2004-02-10T15:13:48Z")
And the reason all the take out places look and feel the same beyond the sign is the same reason all Mcdonalds look and feel the same: someone helps set them up with common menus, distrubutors, etc. ---
**Author:** ![jujuju](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/7993a0/32.png) [@jujuju](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jujuju)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2004, 3:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-generic-chinese-restaurant-signs-always-yellow-red/228441/6 "2004-02-10T15:17:47Z")
aren’t the combination of red and yellow also supposed to make you hungry? hence mcdonalds… ---
**Author:** ![don\_t\_ask](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e68b1a/32.png) [@don\_t\_ask](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/don_t_ask)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2004, 3:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-generic-chinese-restaurant-signs-always-yellow-red/228441/7 "2004-02-10T15:21:23Z")
> [@jujuju](#): > > aren’t the combination of red and yellow also supposed to make you hungry? hence mcdonalds… Thus explaining the old… half an hour after you eat Chinese you’re hungry again and half an hour after eating McDonalds you’re tasting it again… ---
**Author:** ![RumMunkey](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/b19c9b/32.png) [@RumMunkey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RumMunkey)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2004, 3:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-generic-chinese-restaurant-signs-always-yellow-red/228441/8 "2004-02-10T15:30:16Z")
[hijack] In my area, I notice almost all Chinese places seem to have the same menu. The food and prices differ, but they all have an identical layout, spot colour, tri-fold brocheure. [/hijack] ---
**Author:** ![Acsenray](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/acsenray/32/4519_2.png) [@Acsenray](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Acsenray)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2004, 4:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-generic-chinese-restaurant-signs-always-yellow-red/228441/9 "2004-02-10T16:34:54Z")
From the article linked above: > [@](#): > > On the other hand, red is a good color choice in most of Asia for anything except personal names. Red and gold are widely considered ‘lucky’ colors in Asian tradition. Interesting that here the usage of the phrase “most of Asia” does not include most of Asia.