NYC-Times-Square-signage-lights-nightGarish billboards are a common sight in Times Square. Image via Wikipedia.

Whether you’re a local or visitor, you are bound to have stepped foot in Times Square at least once. Located within the “Special Midtown District,” Times Square has its own set of zoning rules. In fact, the garish billboards that have became the hallmark of Times Square are not a coincidence, but planned down to the smallest detail from the minimum surface area of light on street frontages, where signage must face, to the mandatory level of brightness for illuminated displays. With more than 360,000 pedestrians passing through Times Square everyday, it is no wonder many stores have joined in the competition and add a little extra to their usual signage displayed elsewhere.

Here are the 10 most “blinged out” signage that passersby won’t miss even if they try to:

1. Shake Shack


Eat while taking in the action in Times Square at Shake Shack

Shake Shack started off as a simple, high quality burger joint sold from a hot dog cart in Madison Square Park. The brand’s iconic minimalistic signage is found at its 17 outposts, but this one in Times Square is nothing but. Rumor has it that burgers served here is the least shackburger-like, but it looks like the jazzy signage and large windows are still attracting large amounts of patrons.