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The Top 10 Creepiest Fast Food Mascots

Opinion by greedo posted 3 years ago
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I don't eat much fast food anymore. Maybe it's because I read Fast Food Nation a few years back and that scared me off the chalupas and whoppers. Or it could be because the doctor told me to watch my fat intake and ease off the fried foods.

When I really think about it though, those excuses are kinda lame. I think that the real reason I don't eat fast food is because fast food restaurants are doing their damndest to scare us away from their restaurants. I mean look at the weirdos they have peddling their food. Scary clowns? Creepy old men? Purple blobs? The fast food companies been subjecting us to these creeps for years, but recently the situation has become unbearable.

So without further ado, I present to you my list of the 10 creepiest fast food mascots [note: I'm limiting the list to characters peddling goods for fast food outlets - I realize that the Kool Aid Man and Count Chocula are also disturbing, but that's for another list]:

#10: The Quiznos Rat/Hamster Thing

Who thought selling fresh, healthy sandwiches alongside a mangy deranged rodent was a good idea? The last thing I want to think about when I'm eating food is some bubonic plague carrying, disease-ridden rat. At least Subway had the decency to saddle us with Jared Fogle.

Need more evidence? Tell me you want a Quiznos sub after watching this advertisement with the Quiznos rodent...


#9: The Dominos Noid

A fixture of the Dominos Pizza commercials from the 80s and 90s, the Noid was a small goblin-like humanoid with rabbit ears dressed in a tight red latex suit that communicated via a series of chortles and grunts. Tell me that ain't creepy.

Need more evidence? The animated Noid in the TV commercials was bad enough. But adults dressing up as the Noid for Halloween and, more recently, 80s parties? Oh the humanity!

#8: Jack

Most of us think that clowns are creepy. But what about jack-in-the-boxes? Well, they're just glorified clowns, with springs that pop out of boxes. So they're double creepy.

Need more evidence? Any of the numerous TV spots featuring Jack with his big round head and that cheshire cat smile.

#7: Grimace

Dear McDonalds, what exactly is this Grimace creature you have spawned? Is he a mutated prune? A malformed mushroom? Is he an obese American fast food consumer whose skin took on an unearthly hue after consuming one too many Happy Meals? Either way, the last thing I need to think about when I'm eating a 1000 calorie cheeseburger is some overweight muppet.

Need more evidence? Did you know Grimace originally had 4 arms and a penchant for stealing milkshakes? He also had an equally hideous green uncle, Uncle O'Grimacey (as if one wasn't enough).

#6: Colonel Sanders

It's like Hannibal Lector is sporting the Oompa Loompa hairdo (at least in this pic). I dunno, when I'm eating Chicken out of a bucket I really don't want some old guy with a goatee grinning back at me. Which makes me wonder, why aren't there more hot female fast food icons? Honestly, where are they? Where's the Colonelette?

Need more evidence? Apparently in Japan most of the KFC locations have on-site Colonel statues to greet you. In the Japanese city of Kansai, poor treatment of one of the Colonel statues has led to an apparent "curse of the Colonel" on that city's baseball team.

#5: Mister Softee

Mister Softee has helped peddle ice cream treats to kids in the Northeast for 50 years. I cringed when I first saw him. Man with a cone for a head with soft serve billowing out the top. And don't get me started on his jingle (isn't this the kind of thing that gets inserted into film trailers for The Omen?)

Need more evidence? Watch this short movie trailer featuring a LIVE-ACTION Mister Softee. Apparently David Caruso (CSI) starred as Mr. Softee's roommate in a short film from 2000 called "Swirlee". Oh the nightmares I will have forevermore...truly freaky.

#4: Modern Ronald McDonald

Does this one really require explanation? The flaming red hair. The pasty white face. The demonically shaped mouth and the pencil thin arched eyebrows. Yikes!

Clowns, clowns, clowns. Clowns are evil. Clowns are bad! Don't believe me? Check out this Wikipedia article on evil clowns.

More creepy evidence: There's no shortage of horrific McDonald's television commercials, but this one 'Ronald's New Hairdo' really bugs me.

#3: Old-School Ronald McDonald

The only thing more horrific than the current McDonald's clown is the old-school original. Who designed this monstrosity? It looks like someone strapped a food tray atop his head and attached a dixie cup to his nose and called it a day (here's the original tv spot with weatherman Willard Scott). This thing is hideous. If I saw this on the street, I'd run for help.

Need more evidence? Even after they revamped the look of the old-school Ronald, he was still damned freaky. Just watch this commercial.

#2: The Tastee Freez Twins

More soft-serve inspired mascots. Twins 'Tee' and 'Eff', like Mister Softee, have been around for half a century. But unlike Softee, there are two of these menaces, so I'm putting them up higher.

Need more evidence? The wonderful site Roadside America turned me onto this freaky looking life-sized Tastee Freez statue. Gotta love the soft serve head that kinda oozes into a shapeless face. The lips also look ready to melt off in a big dollop of soft cream. Yum. The naked twin is also a sight to behold.

#1: The King

The only thing scarier than Ronald or Mister Softee is Burger King's 'King'. As if to underscore the King's inherent creep-factor, Burger King even sells King masks online for Halloween.

Need more evidence? Remember the "wake up with the King" ads from a couple years back (here's another, and another)? Do you really want to wake up to this guy? DO YOU!?!?

The only right answer folks is "Hells no!!!"

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34 comments
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lemming said:
Greedo, I think you may have scared me away from fast food too. lol.

You make an interesting observation too -- where are the fast food females?
posted 3 years ago.
 
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dave said:
Yeah that big headed King totally gives me the heeby-jeebies. And I seriously had weird dreams after seeing that Quizno's rat-thing. Another awesome post from Greedo!
posted 3 years ago.
 
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atlas said:
The Quizno's was inspired by this guy! They didn't make it up.

http://www.rathergood.com/moon_song/
posted 3 years ago.
 
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karl said:
What a terrible post...pretty sure the 'King' is the most rockin' mascot ever invented. A figure of royalty, wearing a BK Crown and shades who has his own video game. You can't get much cooler than that
posted 3 years ago.
 
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sfdude said:
Quizno's needs to fire or replace it's marketing and advertising department because the talking Baby Bob always weirded me out too. A baby with talking lips and a 40-year old man's voice...wtf???

http://www.quiznos.com/commercials/evennt_­bob­1.a­sp
posted 3 years ago.
 
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JAB said:
The first time I say the "Waking up with the King" spot I flashbacked to some of Norm MacDonald's stand-up. I just thought to myself, "The King is going to rape this guy!"
posted 3 years ago.
 
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Rhilly said:
I thought Burger King's french fry ads were creepy when Mr Potato Head was the character involved.
posted 3 years ago.
 
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teh_dude said:
Dont bash the noid!!!!!!!!! he was from a video game, you were the pizza delivery guy, and you had to get the pizza to the customer without allowing the noid to squish it, i think he was agreat mascott!!! find the nes rom "avoid the noid" and try for your self!
posted 3 years ago.
 
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J-Session said:
Screen name typo. That old school Ronald McDonald was just creepy, that commerical will be sure to give me nightmares.
posted 3 years ago.
 
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Loved this post. I always thought that the tagline for the creepy Noid guy should have been "Don't get a NOID, get Domino's!" (get it? -- "a noid" = "annoyed" ...of course you did)
posted 3 years ago.
 
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sirloinj said:
ok the king???? the king kicks ass!!! have you seen any of the spoofs on the net with the king?? long live the king....and the quisnos things....those are what we call, a sponge monkey. www.rathergood.com and look for a song called "we love the moon" or like the moon...something like that. this is classic stuff here....i hate the noid...i dont' want to avoid him, i want him dead...i want to snap his neck just like mayor Adam West in family guy.
posted 3 years ago.
 
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dapperdan said:
Long John Silver's had a short-lived fish mascot that played basketball. At least I think that's what it was. Can't remember if it had a name.
posted 3 years ago.
 
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lachick said:
Check out this Japanese female model version of Ronald McDonald...weird:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WWHn5Kyeeva­s
posted 3 years ago.
 
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hhh said:
Burger King gets double honors for also having the Subserviant Chicken...

http://www.subservientchicken.com/
posted 3 years ago.
 
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xoxoxox said:
these guys are so so creepy, i sware to god if i ever saw that burger king guy outside of my window, i would cry. he is just so SCARY!!!
posted 3 years ago.
 
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Hugh said:
I bet all of you are too young to remember the original King. He was a man in a King costume, but no plastic head.
posted 3 years ago.
 
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Hugh said:
The creepy part is Old King would twist his ring and reveal a secret room in the back of the BK that only children and himself could enter.....
posted 3 years ago.
 
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ang42202 said:
Putting women in fast food advertising is a mistake. There was a woman in a Carl Jr. ad recently but it scared more people away from fast food than #s 1-10 combined...I hear the car industy is suffering as well.
posted 3 years ago.
 
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shope said:
Grimace is a tastebud! And he's named that because you'd grimace when he stole your milkshake. Definitely bizarre.
posted 3 years ago.
 
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Dude, you missed one. And THIS one LITERALLY made me vomit (as I was eating in front of the tv)...

That disgusting, stale pizza slice from Pizza Hut. The commercials were for the "Pizza Head" show or something... I saw this deformed, malicious, rotten thing and I actually got physically sick - I didn't eat pizza for nearly two years after that.
posted 3 years ago.
 
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beckletts said:
Clearly many of you don't appreciate the utter brilliance of the King... while his constant sneaking around can be seen as rather creepy, there isn't a person around that wouldn't know who you were talking about if you mentioned "the king"... Great commercials Burger King!!!!
posted 3 years ago.
 
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Mokiema2 said:
What about that Domino's Fudgems thing????!!!!
posted 3 years ago.
 
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SlimRuleS said:
speaking for myself i like the king
posted 3 years ago.
 
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I'm not touching any food whose producers think they need a freaking (literally) mascot to try to convince me to eat it. I liked the post - all of the above mentioned entities totally creep me out.
posted 3 years ago.
 
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The "King" is as creepy an icon as I have seen on TV in years! I don't eat much fast food, but I DO NOT go to Burger King since this guy came out.
posted 3 years ago.
 
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Like i work for quiznos and thank god it wasnt till after that rat thing.....just the site of it makes me wanna quit exapt its a great job and the rats gone. wow ud think thed call the exterminator first before shooting a food commercial!
posted 3 years ago.
last edited 3 years ago
 
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I think I'm one of the few people who loves the Burger King ads with the "Burger King." Burger King has gotten really smart-assy with its marketing anymore; if you go in to eat, the sign on the door says "PULL. You can push if you really want it your way, but you won't get far."
posted 2 years ago.
 
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tiz said:
wow..lol.. but I think the creepiest is #10, the Quizznos rat/hampster... what is it??
posted 1 year ago.
 
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cant agree with the colonel. he is not a mascot he was the man who started KFC so he dosnt really count as a mascot
posted 1 year ago.
 
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ok that rat thing for #10 is hilarious i laughed when i looked at that pic ahahaha :D i dont think the colonel scares me or the bk king.. the one that scares me is that quinzo rat-thing, ronald mc donald (the new one), the twins thing and the noid. The old school ronald looks just like some guy putting on ridiulous costume that doesnt make sense, grimace is just... not creepy, burger king guy just also isnt that creepy, jack looks like some guy putting on a circular fake head and mister softee is just....... not creepy at all.. ohh and that pic of a boy u put in the beginning holding that burger is creepy too. who is he?
posted 1 year ago.
last edited 1 year ago
 
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I completely agree about the King - he is really odd...but I do Like Jack (of Jack in the Box). He reminds me of an old boss - big head with plastic inside.

More on Jack in the Box: http://valuedining.com/fast-food/jack-iin-­the­-bo­x
posted 9 months ago.
 
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cdrates said:
The King is as creepy as he is awesome!
posted 5 months ago.
 
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cwsmitty said:
Forgot to leave a link to the referenced mascots:
Wendy: http://www.tvacres.com/images/wendys_loogo­2.j­pg
Clara Peller: http://www.tvacres.com/images/clara_pellle­r5.­jpg
posted 3 months ago.
 
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cwsmitty said:
Two separate comments: The character at the top of the article is from Bob's Big Boy restaurants his name is "Big Boy". As for female mascots your all forgetting about Wendy's, who had 2 mascots/spokes persons Wendy who the restaurants were named for and Clara Peller famous for the tag line: "Where's the Beef?!" both great mascots.
posted 3 months ago.
 
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