Twin Peaks Prop – Restaurant Association of the State of Washington (RASW) Decal at the Double R Diner

For more than three decades, I’ve wondered about the “RASW” decal affixed to the front door of the Double R Diner best seen in the Twin Peaks pilot. I figured the sticker on the glass door was something found at the actual Mar-T Cafe (known today as Twede’s Cafe). It was something added by the crew during filming in February 1989. While this isn’t a traditional prop or set decor piece, I have identified its origin which can also be seen in establishing shots used throughout the first and second season.

WHAT IS THE RASW DECAL ON THE FRONT DOOR OF THE DOUBLE R DINER IN TWIN PEAKS?

Early in the Twin Peaks pilot, we get an interior view of the front door of the Double R Diner. On the glass door is a black and gold decal with the letters “RASW” and a stylized drawing of a tree.

We get a better look at the details of this sticker as the waitress Heidi enters the building. I figured the graphic was related to something with the state of Washington (“SW”). A quick internet search revealed the truth

The decal was the logo for the Restaurant Association of the State of Washington. It took some digging to find the logo which showed up on JackGordon.org. The caption for this image read:

“It’s a bit blurry and half the participants have been x’ed out, but I can sort of date this picture. The National Restaurant Association was founded in 1919, so most likely this picture was taken at the 1969 Testimonial/Legislative Dinner. From our left to right, we have an unidentified man, another unidentified man, Washington State Governor Dan Evans and Victor Rosellini. The crop marks on the picture were to let the photo engraver know what was going to end up in the Restaurant News magazine.”

I cropped the heavy pixelated image to get a better view of the logo which matched the decal in the Double R Diner window. Sadly, I’ve been unable to locate a high-resolution or cleaner image of this logo (something that is lost to time).

According to JackGordon.org, the association was formed in the mid-1960s with Jack being involved as its executive until 1992: “Formed in 1966 from a merger of the Washington State Restaurant Association, the Class H Association, and the lobbying arm of the Hotel-Motel Association, Jack was the Restaurant Association of the State of Washington’s executive from its beginning through 1992.”

So most likely, Pat Cokewell (or possibly the previous owners of the Mar-T Cafe) were members of the RASW. This would be a chamber-like organization where members would be listed in directories as preferred restaurants, etc. Additionally the RASW would advocate on the behalf of members with the Washington state government.

The organization is known today as the Washington Hospitality Association after merging a merger between the Washington Restaurant Association and the Washington Lodging Association in 2016. Representing 6,000 members, its the state’s leading trade group the hotel, restaurant, and hospitality industries.

By September 1991, it appears the Mar-T Cafe was either no longer a member of the organization or had removed the sticker from their glass door. Nevertheless, I love finding items like this decal from Real Twin Peaks of Snoqualmie Valley, Washington in David Lynch and Mark Frost’s fictional world.

RASW DECAL APPEARANCES IN TWIN PEAKS

The decal on the front door would only appear in the Twin Peaks pilot.

After Bobby Briggs and Shelly Johnson leave the diner, it’s the last time we’ll see the sticker up close.

It appears the sticker can be seen on the front door during numerous establishing shots from the first and second season.

You can see all of the exterior views of the Double R Diner in this detailed “Setting the Stage” article.

I would still love to find a better version of the RASW graphic and discover how long the Mar-T Cafe was a member. To do the latter, I would need access to either member directories or paperwork from the original organization. Neither of these things are currently online … but if I wait long enough, perhaps they will turn up.