13 Mascots That Were Way Weirder Than We Remember
From unsettling fast-food icons to downright bizarre sports figures, these 13 mascots will make you wonder how anyone thought they were a good idea.
- Chris Graciano
- 3 min read
Mascots are meant to be fun and unforgettable, but sometimes, they end up being bizarre. Over the years, brands and teams have introduced some characters that were confusing, creepy, or just plain strange. Here’s a look back at 13 mascots that were way weirder than you probably remember.
1. The Noid (Domino’s Pizza)
Jeremy Volkman on Flickr
This gremlin-like pizza thief was supposed to be funny but ended up terrifying kids with his red jumpsuit and maniacal grin. His whole mission was to ruin pizzas before they reached your door.
2. Mac Tonight (McDonald’s)
Brecht Bug on Flickr
A crooning, crescent-moon-headed man in a suit played the piano to sell burgers at night. He looked like something out of a dream you’d rather forget.
3. The Hamburglar (McDonald’s)
玄史生 on Wikimedia Commons
This striped-shirt burglar with a cape and hat snuck around stealing burgers like a cartoon criminal. His constant “robble robble” catchphrase was equal parts funny and creepy.
4. Grimace (McDonald’s)
Ryan Bayne on Flickr
Before becoming the lovable purple blob we know, Grimace started as “Evil Grimace,” a four-armed milkshake thief. His original design was clumsy and vaguely monstrous.
5. The Burger King (Burger King)
Inside the Magic on Flickr
The modern King mascot wore an oversized plastic face that was frozen in an unsettling grin. He’d randomly appear in people’s bedrooms or on the football field in ads.
6. Gorton’s Fisherman (Gorton’s Seafood)
Don on Flickr
This raincoat-wearing, bearded sailor just stood silently with his frozen smile. While he wasn’t meant to be scary, his lifeless presence in ads gave off eerie lighthouse ghost vibes.
7. Little Caesar (Little Caesars)
beautifulcataya on Flickr
“Pizza! Pizza!” might be harmless, but the bobble-headed Roman with a spear always looked a little off. His exaggerated features and stiff animation made him more odd than cute.
8. Quiznos Spongmonkeys (Quiznos)
Piotrus on Wikimedia Commons
These deranged, singing rat-like creatures hawked sandwiches in the early 2000s. Their off-key voices and strange googly-eyed design were more disturbing than appetizing.
9. Mr. Peanut (Planters)
Brecht Bug on Flickr
A dapper peanut with a monocle and a cane sounds classy, but in motion, he always felt slightly unsettling. Something about a legged nut tipping his top hat was just odd.
10. Chuck E. Cheese (Chuck E. Cheese’s)
exousiavampira on Flickr
The original Chuck E. Cheese was a cigar-smoking rat in a bowler hat, not exactly kid-friendly. Even his early animatronic versions had a creepy carnival vibe.
11. The Jolly Green Giant (Green Giant)
Mykl Roventine on Flickr
This towering green man lurked in cornfields and forests, booming “Ho ho ho!” as he watched over vegetables. While friendly in theory, the idea of a massive man hiding in crops is mildly terrifying.
12. The Kool-Aid Man (Kool-Aid)
showbiz kids on Flickr
Bursting through walls with a giant smile, this talking pitcher left kids excited and parents dreading repair bills. His sheer size and human-like limbs made him oddly disturbing up close.
13. Mayor McCheese (McDonald’s)
nattywoohoo on Flickr
This McDonaldland character had a cheeseburger for a head, a sash, and a top hat. While whimsical, the human body with a sandwich face was pure nightmare fuel.