Get ready for a nostalgic trip down fast food memory lane! We're diving into the most memorable and iconic mascots that have defined fast food advertising over the decades. From creepy kings to dancing cows, these characters have become pop culture legends that defined generations of marketing.
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00:00♪ Yum yum, yum yum, I'm kickin' it, sure ain't fun! ♪
00:03Welcome to WatchMojo, and today we're counting down our picks for the most enduring examples of characters associated with fast food franchises.
00:11♪ Dinner at McDonald's is McDonald's! ♪
00:21Number 20, Grimace, McDonald's.
00:24♪ Party people! Who cares? Who cares? ♪
00:29The McDonald's corporation kind of has a lock on iconic mascots.
00:33They've been one of the few fast food chains to employ not just one successful spokes-character,
00:37but an entire array of McDonald-land friends as well.
00:41Grimace actually debuted as a bad guy within the fictional McDonald's food universe,
00:45a four-armed villain whose sole aim was to steal beverages like sodas and milkshakes.
00:49-"The evil Grimace had grabbed all the cups."
00:52-"Eww! Where's the Coke? Where's the shake?"
00:57Fast forward to the modern day, and Grimace has lost a couple of arms but has gained his own monikered milkshake.
01:03The Grimace shake debuted in 2023,
01:06and boasted a bright berry flavor to coincide with our favorite purple guy's 52nd birthday.
01:11-"Get Grimace's birthday shake when you order his birthday meal only at McDonald's."
01:18Number 19, the Starbucks siren, Starbucks.
01:21You may not think about it every time you stop into a Starbucks for a cup of coffee,
01:25yet there she is, staring you straight in the face and beckoning you for another sip.
01:30-"For the logo, they chose a siren, as alluring as the coffee itself."
01:34She's the Starbucks siren,
01:36and she's been featured on the company's cups and branding since the early 70s.
01:40It sort of makes sense, too, since so many of us are not only compelled by our need for coffee,
01:45but could potentially even be driven to madness without our daily fix.
01:49The sirens of Greek mythology also possess this inescapable call,
01:53a luring song that often meant the death of sailors that entered their domain.
01:57Then again, there's probably worse ways to go
01:59than drinking some strong coffee with a two-tailed mermaid.
02:02-"Starbucks always feels familiar, it always feels safe.
02:06Just coming in and seeing a friendly, familiar face wearing one of these guys,
02:11that to me feels like home."
02:12Number 18, the DQ Lips, Dairy Queen.
02:15-"Introducing the Dairy Queen waffle bowl sundae.
02:18DQ Soft serve all those delicious toppings,
02:20every one in a chocolate-dipped waffle bowl with that fresh baked smell."
02:25Advertising can utilize many different messages in order to get its point across.
02:30Sometimes, fast food companies will simply show you delicious photos of their appetizing food.
02:35Dairy Queen, however, actually chooses to include a pair of
02:38anthropomorphized lips to do their talking.
02:40-"My pride and joy, I'm so happy."
02:45-"I was kind of hoping for a tear there."
02:46The DQ Lips sell the company's sweet and savory treats.
02:50Coming across like something out of the Rocky Horror Picture Show combined with the Rolling
02:54Stones logo.
02:55But you know what?
02:55It totally does the job because we're talking about it here.
02:58So good job, Dairy Queen.
03:00-"It makes me feel like I can control anything.
03:03Even you.
03:05Yes, look into my eye.
03:09I don't have eyes.
03:11Look into my uvula."
03:14Number 17, The Cows, Chick-fil-A.
03:17-"All right, soldiers.
03:18Who called a code move?"
03:19-"I did.
03:20Because of this."
03:21-"Ahh!
03:23Chocolate!"
03:24-"No, carrots.
03:26This."
03:27There's a delightfully demented bit of branding behind The Cows that celebrate Chick-fil-A's
03:31daily operations.
03:32After all, the fast food biz is often associated with juicy burgers and the like.
03:37And The Cows want you to know that it's okay to consume chicken instead.
03:41They're tired of being on your plate and want to roam free.
03:44So they celebrate every chance they get to talk about Chick-fil-A's various sandwiches
03:48and fried fowl.
03:49It may seem a bit on-the-nose, but The Cows have been going strong for the chain since
03:541995, and they currently show no signs of slowing down.
03:58-"That's a lot of black paint."
04:07-"It's a pull, not a push.
04:10Take your time."
04:11Number 16, Fudgie the Whale, Carvel.
04:13-"He's been in movies, TV shows, social media.
04:17Fudgie the Whale still takes people back to their childhood."
04:20You know him.
04:21You love him.
04:22You want to eat him all up, and keep him all to yourself.
04:25He's Fudgie the Whale, and he's freaking delicious.
04:28Ice cream cakes are always a good decision, and Carvel makes some of the best in town.
04:33Yet even this sweet-minded restaurant franchise probably didn't anticipate the long and lasting
04:37legacy of characters like Fudgie the Whale or Cookie Puss.
04:40Both helped popularize Carvel's brand of confectionery goodness, while also promoting
04:45Fudgie to official party cake status.
04:47-"Why is Fudgie always invited to the party?
04:49Because he's cool.
04:50So give dad what he really wants for Father's Day.
04:53Fudgie the Whale.
04:54That's a whale of a cake for a whale of a dad."
04:57Looking for a dope Father's Day cake?
04:59Try Fudgie the Whale.
05:00Anniversary cake?
05:01Ask your spouse first, but we say Fudgie the Whale.
05:04Birthday?
05:05Man, y'all already know.
05:06-"Fudgie's changed over the years.
05:08He definitely wasn't as cool in the 80s.
05:11He went from frumpy to cool.
05:13Forty years later, he's still our number one seller."
05:16Number 15.
05:17Happy Star.
05:18Carl's Jr. and Hardee's.
05:19-"Um, I have a question.
05:21Is this the room where all hope goes to die?"
05:23-"Shh.
05:24Not now."
05:25The Carl's Jr. and Hardee's brands have employed a number of promotional slogans over the years,
05:29but it seems as if all it really took to get over was one little smiling star.
05:34Happy Star has been telling us to feed our proverbial happies for a while now,
05:39since first emerging as the brand ambassador for these chains.
05:42-"It's the Carl's Jr. and Hardee's Happy Star.
05:46And the famous star burger.
05:49And the superstar burger.
05:51So many stars."
05:52This slogan tends to run hand-in-hand with Happy Star's identity within the
05:55Carl's Jr. and Hardee's brand, but he also possesses a pleasant and disarming design
06:00that's easy to love.
06:01Not that we need an excuse to stop into either of these restaurants.
06:04-"Feed your happy."
06:05Number 14.
06:06The Sponge Monkeys.
06:08Quiznos.
06:09-"We love these subs!
06:12Cause they are good to us!
06:15The Quiznos subs!
06:19They are tasty, they are crunchy, they are warm because they toast them!"
06:23British animator Joel Veitch and the Quiznos brand definitely took a chance in 2004 when
06:27they settled on the Sponge Monkeys as their brand ambassadors.
06:31These horrid-looking little creatures sang off-key in a handful of memorable Quiznos
06:35commercials, although we're still not sure what these little mascots have to do with
06:38consuming submarine sandwiches.
06:40Still, the Sponge Monkeys made an impression, and consumers never forgot their visual weirdness,
06:45abrasive voices, or off-kilter behavior.
06:48-"They are so good, we need them raw, but eating raw subs is barbaric!"
06:52Quiznos and Veitch even brought back the Sponge Monkeys for a branding go-round back in 2023.
06:57Returning them to the advertising spotlight to once again sing for their proverbial suppers.
07:02-"Road trips are part of the Ameri-"
07:03-"We are back!
07:07On a road trip!
07:10To get to Quiznos!
07:14We love the gas prices and public restrooms and the creepy billboard!"
07:18Number 13.
07:19Fred the Baker.
07:20Dunkin' Donuts.
07:21-"To make the donut!"
07:25We know that some of our favorite actors got their start doing commercials,
07:28while still others actually find that these brief roles lend them certifiable fame.
07:32Fred the Baker was one such character from Michael Vail,
07:35an actor who lent his talents to the Dunkin' Donuts brand from 1981 to 1997.
07:40-"Time to make the donut."
07:44His voice, appearance, and catchphrase of
07:46"'Time to make the donuts' helped define Dunkin' during this time,
07:50an era when donuts were still freshly made in-house.
07:53Vail's performance was so beloved by fans that not only was he given an
07:57official retirement celebration in Boston, but Dunkin' even commemorated
08:00Vail's legacy after his death in 2005 with a very special commercial.
08:05Number 12.
08:06The Hamburglar.
08:07McDonald's.
08:08-"Hamburger University.
08:09With Ronald McDonald."
08:11-"Good morning, class!"
08:12-"Good morning, Ronald!"
08:13-"Today's subject?
08:15The Hamburglar."
08:17We'd frankly be remiss if we didn't include some of the other McDonaldland friends in this list.
08:22From Mayor McCheese to the McNugget Buddies to another all-time fan favorite,
08:25the Hamburglar.
08:26This was another McDonald's mascot that initially started his life as a foil for Ronald,
08:31stealing burgers from the unwary.
08:34Today, however, well, the Hamburglar still steals food,
08:37but he's not really the antagonist he used to be in his younger days.
08:41Instead, Ronald just seems resigned to the fact that leopards never change their spots,
08:45and the Hamburglar simply can't resist the smell and taste of a McDonald's patty.
08:49-"Give back those burgers!"
08:51-"You can't catch me!"
08:52-"Ronald!"
08:53-"I'm gaining on him!"
08:54-"Bye-bye!"
08:55Number 11.
08:56Little Caesar.
08:57Little Caesars.
08:58-"Look for our ad in the news and free-press TV books for a free pizza."
09:02-"I'm not a little Caesar!"
09:04-"I'm a little Caesar!"
09:05-"I'm a little Caesar!"
09:06-"I'm a little Caesar!"
09:07-"I'm a little Caesar!"
09:08-"Look for our ad in the news and free-press TV books for a free pizza."
09:10The behavior of this mascot is a little different,
09:13in that Little Caesar doesn't really possess a lot of complicated backstory or lore,
09:17at least when compared to other brand ambassadors.
09:20He's just really there to wear a toga, snack on a slice, and say those two famous words.
09:27However, what Little Caesar does have going for him is an inspired bit of brand design
09:32and iconography.
09:33The website Fabric Brand did the lord's work by breaking down Caesar's color scheme,
09:37Roman headwear, and the little LCs that adorn the bottom of his toga.
09:41It just goes to show how much work goes into even the most minute details of company branding.
09:47-"Meat plus meat plus meat."
09:48-"Wow, Professor Amon Roth! You're a great mathematician!"
09:52-"Mathematician? More like meat-metician."
09:55Number 10.
09:56Chuck E. Cheese.
09:57Chuck E. Cheese.
09:58-"What's the best day to go to Chuck E. Cheese's?"
10:01-"Every day's a Chuck E. Cheese's day!"
10:03-"If you feel like going out and having fun!"
10:06-"Then it's a Chuck E. Cheese's day!"
10:09Who knew pizza needed a pesky rodent to endorse it?
10:12Chuck E. is our choice at 10.
10:13He's a culinary critter with character for two, and he's not afraid to change with the times.
10:18In 1977, when the restaurant that combined food, arcade games,
10:22and more was first conceived by Atari founder Nolan Bushnell, Chuck was a rat.
10:27Quickly and smartly, he was softened into a mouse.
10:30And more recently, he underwent a mini-midlife crisis.
10:33In 2012, the mouse received a makeover for the modern market,
10:37and now he's a more rockin' rodent.
10:39-"And everyone's singing!" -"It's the holiday!"
10:41-"At Chuck E. Cheese's!" -"Tis the season!"
10:44-"At Chuck E. Cheese's!" -"Fa la la la la!"
10:46-"At Chuck E. Cheese's!" -"La la la!"
10:49-"Where a kid can be a kid!"
10:51Number 9.
10:52Big Boy.
10:52Big Boy Restaurants.
10:54-"At Big Boy, before a recipe is put on a menu, it has to get past the big guy."
10:59-"Big Boy!"
11:01A multi-faceted, multi-franchised company,
11:03it all comes together under the smiling, searching gaze of this guy.
11:07Big Boy was a big business move when he was created following the chain's founding in 1936.
11:12The fiberglass statues have since become a symbol of the United States,
11:16and Big Boy himself became a comic book hero.
11:19Originally inspired by a six-year-old customer,
11:21the mascot shares his name with the franchise's double-decker burger,
11:25and his welcoming smile and twinkling eyes have invited burger lovers to the restaurant ever since.
11:30-"Catch our seafood specials.
11:32You'll be hooked on them just like all the good food at Big Boy."
11:37-"America loves its Big Boy!" -"For seafood!"
11:41Number 8.
11:41The Noid.
11:42Domino's Pizza.
11:44-"Here's some news the Noid won't like.
11:47New Domino's Pan Pizza!"
11:50The nasty but nice Noid is intent on icing up your pizza,
11:54but isn't powerful enough to do so.
11:56Domino's created him as a testament to their freshness,
11:59as this rabbit-eared rascal routinely fails to find
12:02enough time to cool the pizza down within their 30-minute window.
12:05-"Noid hates hot quality pizza.
12:09He loves to make your hot pizza ice cold.
12:13Call Domino's Pizza and avoid the Noid."
12:17Clad in a red spandex full-body suit,
12:19his fashion sense is almost as criminal as his intentions.
12:23However, we still hold a soft spot for his niggling,
12:26wriggling ways for some reason.
12:27And in fact, he was so popular, he even spawned a video game.
12:39Number 7.
12:40Arby's Oven-Met.
12:41Arby's.
12:42-"Smell this new sandwich."
12:43-"Oven-Met? How is it you can smell when you don't have a nose?"
12:47-"What do you mean I don't have a...
12:48What?!
12:49Where did it go?!
12:50Ah!"
12:51Sometimes, simple sells.
12:53That's clearly the case at Arby's,
12:55where an oven mitt with a mouth and the voice of Tom Arnold
12:58became the face-ish of their food in 2003.
13:01The facial expression is difficult to read.
13:03It's somewhere between satisfied and suave,
13:06but this red-and-white kitchen accessory is as famous as he is friendly.
13:10-"Welcome to Arby's. How many in your party?"
13:12-"Oven-Mid. What are you doing?"
13:15-"Well, now that we serve salads every bit as good as you'd get
13:18at a nice sit-down restaurant, I thought we should start acting like one."
13:21Though many viewers had a love-hate relationship with the mitt,
13:24he was around to remind consumers that Arby's only used
13:27fresh-roast beef in their sandwiches.
13:29It proved a red-hot marketing move.
13:31-"Okay, people. Here at Arby's, we roast our beef in ovens,
13:35right in the store, so it's fresh, juicy, not greasy,
13:39which means we have to respect the ovens and the oven mitt."
13:44Number 6.
13:45Jackbox.
13:45Jack-in-the-Box.
13:46-"This message is for the heads of McDonald's and Burger King.
13:49Guys, I don't want to tell you how to run your business, but here's a tip.
13:53McDonald's, don't let your pre-assembled burgers sit in holding bins.
13:57And Burger King, those microwaves you use to reheat Whopper meat? Lose them."
14:01Now, next we get particularly freaky.
14:04Jackbox appears respectable, from shoulder to toe.
14:08He dons a suit and holds himself well,
14:11but he has an oversized, snowman-inspired head with a frozen face.
14:15He's evidently the CEO of the Jack-in-the-Box chain,
14:18and after being dramatically dropped,
14:20was reintroduced in 1994 to distance the brand from food contamination scandal.
14:25-"Family man. Business man. A can-do man with a plan.
14:31He's Jack, and he's not afraid to tackle the tough issues.
14:35Education. Environment. Milkshakes."
14:40More recently, he was the subject of a particularly extensive promotional campaign.
14:44In 2009, Jack was hit by a bus,
14:47hospitalized, and eventually revitalized in a social media story that modernized marketing.
14:53-"I know you can't hear me, but I want you to know I'm moving Jack-in-the-Box forward."
14:57-"Okay."
14:58-"I'm telling the world we serve anything on the menu, anytime."
15:01-"Yeah, Phil."
15:02-"And I'm changing the company name to Phil-in-the-Box."
15:05-"Phil-in-the-Box? I don't think so! Somebody find my pants! I got work to do!"
15:125. Wendy – Wendy's
15:18She isn't animatronic, she doesn't have any particular peculiarities,
15:22but she is one of the most famous faces in all of fast food.
15:26Wendy was originally inspired by the eight-year-old daughter of restaurant founder and
15:30spokesman Dave Thomas, adding a touch of cuteness to his carb-loaded meals.
15:34Her pigtails, hair bows, and striped shirt merge together to form a red,
15:39white, and blue combo almost as recognizable as the star-spangled banner itself.
15:43-"Are you ready?"
15:44-"I'm ready!"
15:45-"And I'm ready! For the Krabby Patty collab meal you're craving, gotta be Wendy's!"
15:514. The Taco Bell Chihuahua – Taco Bell
16:00It's a questionable cultural stereotype, but this pooch's popularity saw her promote Taco Bell
16:04throughout the 90s. Created to make a dent in the burger wars, the Taco Bell Chihuahua was such
16:10a hit, she was a part of pop culture. Through the use of Carlos El Esraque's voiceover,
16:15she was presented as masculine when she was in fact all woman. Real name Gidget,
16:20she was often pursuing a love interest, when in fact, all she wanted was tacos.
16:24The dog always has its day, though, and the pup always got her burritos.
16:29-"You're getting sleepy. Very sleepy. No, wait. You're getting hungry. Very hungry."
16:443. The Burger King – Burger King
16:47-"Mr. King, what can you offer that your opponent can't?"
16:49-"Oh, 10 nuggets for $1.49. Thoughts?"
16:52-"$1.49?"
16:57They're one of the most famous fast food chains on earth, but he's unlike anything else to have
17:02walked in. The Creepy King, as he was popularly dubbed, was a royal weirdo in need of a shave and
17:07some social skills, and yet he sold burgers with considerable success. Somehow.
17:13-"Hey, are Cheetos chicken fries coming to Burger King?"
17:21-"The king has no comment at this time."
17:23Though he was a spin on earlier king-based campaigns and characters,
17:27this iteration of the king was inexplicably the most popular. His reign came to an end
17:32in August 2011, however, when the burger joint forced him into an early advertisement abdication.
17:37He has returned a couple of times since, however, so don't count him out.
17:41-"That's right. The enormous omelet sandwich. Wake up with the king."
17:49Number 2. Colonel Sanders – KFC
17:51-"You're not even a real superstar. You're just a flappy advertising gimmick we use in a KFC
17:58commercial. Who do you think you are?" -"My name is Colonel Sanders, and I am a real person."
18:05Colonel Harlan Sanders is perhaps one of the most widely recognized figures of the 20th century,
18:10at least in the fast food world. The creator and the face of KFC,
18:14his image was developed as a cheap marketing ploy, and it worked. Today, the Colonel's mug
18:19is plastered across food courts, TV screens, and roadside signage across the world. An awesome
18:25entrepreneur, he turned a roadside restaurant into an international franchise that was
18:29finger-lickin' good and fried to perfection. -"Eureka! The Colonel's had another breakthrough!"
18:35Sanders died in 1980, but may his caricatured features live on for years to come.
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19:021. Ronald McDonald – McDonald's
19:22They're the biggest fast food chain, and he's the best fast food mascot,
19:26the face of McDonald's. Ronald McDonald has achieved icon status since his conception in 1963.
19:32He has Wendy's red hair, the King's freaky appearance, and the Colonel's kindly character.
19:37Put it all together and you have a master of the mascots. With a strong supporting
19:41cast of the McDonaldland pals, Ronald has won this race by more than his red nose.
19:46He'll be as happy as his meals with our gold medal round his neck.
20:02Are you nostalgic for certain commercials from your youth? Which ones? Let us know in the comments.
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