The Convoluted History Of McDonald's Characters

McDonald's has a menagerie of characters who romp about in a magical burgery world called McDonaldland, and it's as weird as you barely remember. McDonald's began with only a clown, but as the brand expanded to new markets - and appealing to children became the name of the game - the company branched out with more characters than could fit in a McDonald's ball pit.
The McDonaldland characters were zanier than those of the other franchises. They were featured not only in commercials and toys but also in an animated series called 'The Wacky Adventures of Ronald McDonald'.
#mcdonalds #foodhistory #WeirdHistoryFood

[@weirdhistoryfood]

What McDonald's character did you like the most? We've always been partial to the Hamburgler

[@mrdethbuzzard4885]

Mayor McCheese! Mostly because Howard Morris AKA Ernest T. Bass did his voiceover.

[@whysix3417]

Hamburgler was my favorite, too.

[@TeddySaxbang659]

I actually never forgot about the “Fry Kids” - but I never knew what they were officially called! I think their small stature and simpler design made them more “approachable” to me as a child, and familiar to The Muppets.

[@Ukrainadian]

Great video, but I wish you would have deep dived on the nugget family.

[@reconsoldier135]

Buttplug.. I mean Grimace 😬

[@ladyalcott]

This unlocked so many memories I thought were just weird fever dreams

[@aleenr4425]

Hahahaha!! I love it when that happens!!

[@181cameron]

I was thinking the same thing... Was talking to someone the other day about the "captain Hook" type character, that nobody else seemed to remember. This video confirmed I'm not crazy!

[@katthefantastic]

Truth

[@bridaw8557]

The HR puff n stuff was just adults trippin! 🤣

[@justwaiting5744]

You're not the only one.

[@wasd____]

"This went a long way toward rehabbing his image from '70s serial killer to something more relatable to kids, like a thief." I died 😆

[@kevinbrooks9074]

Health update?

[@wasd____]

@@kevinbrooks9074 I got better.

[@kevinbrooks9074]

@@wasd____ 😊

[@Failed-girl-3gen]

He kinda looks like Jeffery dahmer

[@everylastcrumb]

The humor of this channel is unmatched😂

[@derekmason1881]

I remember all of these characters as an 80s kid. Also the Mcnugget bunch, the Professor, and the Moon guy. Best part of watching Saturday morning cartoons were the McDonald's commercials and cereal commercials. Back when Mickey Ds were colorful , Happy Meal boxes had activities and came with cookies

[@maxdanielj]

Back when happy meal toys didn't suck (like actually having Hot Wheels cars instead of plastic knock offs)

[@rolmodel12.]

@@maxdanielj same with cereal toys: I remember getting baseball cards, posters, shrinky-dinks and iron-on patches. Those were the days....

[@KasumiKenshirou]

@@rolmodel12. Do they even HAVE toys in cereal anymore? I don't have kids so I rarely look at the kids cereals, but the last time I did all they had was a QR code on a box that goes to a website or something.

[@rolmodel12.]

@@KasumiKenshirou I am in the same boat: no kids and don't eat cereal much these days (when I do, it's almost like a dessert/late night snack). But, now that you mention it... I don't think they do anymore. I DO remember them giving away free AOL startup discs in the 90's, in more "adult" cereals (Raisin Bran, Shredded Wheat, etc) lol

[@KasumiKenshirou]

@@rolmodel12. Those AOL CDs were everywhere.

[@ripleyandweeds1288]

Today I learned the Hamburglar has a full name, which is something I didn't think I'd learn... ever.

[@inr63]

It’s Mr. Urgler to you, good sir!

[@PurooRoy]

I didn't know he had any lore to him at all, other than being drawn on the roof of the McDonald's I visited in Delhi as a kid.

[@everylastcrumb]

You and me both

[@kristinlambert8811]

I could've thought hamburgers real name was Hampton Burg, just like Bert lahr who was the cowardly lion in the wizard of oz

[@kristinlambert8811]

I mean Hampton Burg lar

[@justwaiting5744]

I'm so glad you showed clips from the episode about Grimace's Polynesian family. I saw it as a kid and no one else believes it was real.

[@jaymartin8273]

I first saw that as a kid around age ten for some reason the local Mickey Ds gave away a VHS tape of that. After watching it I was left scratching my head wondering as to the fact that someone had actually been PAID to animate and star in it :=)

[@kristinlambert8811]

I get thinking that grimaces family is on an uncharted desert island

[@Tammissa]

I remember loving the Fry Guys as a kid. McDonalds BD parties as a kid in the 70’s-80’s was the place to be.

[@franciscodanconia4324]

I had my 5th birthday at McDonalds in 1980. I remember being so pissed when the employee handed out hats because I didn’t get a Ronald McDonald hat and ended up with Grimace.

[@295g295]

I think the frys that grow in a french-fry patch appeared to be vegetables in a garden.

[@angelavenable7308]

I loved the Fry kids!!!!!!!!❤

[@maxdanielj]

That Big Mac playland thing was terrifying for a lot of kids. The middle was a narrow tube that only one person was supposed to be in at a time (which almost never happened) and the "mouth" part was also cramped and the bars made it even worse. Since it was outside it was slippery after rain and was ridiculously hot on sunny days.

[@leeceyah]

We had big ones, I don't remember having an issue like that. Your description gave me claustrophobia lol

[@GroundersSourceOfficial]

I remember climbing up that Hamburger jail tower and getting stuck. Of course, I had to get down myself as no one helped me. Looking back, it was somewhat funny, but my intellect was building. Then, I got bruises on my legs from the experience. Which freaked my mother out. Also, Grimace's reaction to Trump's questioning is a mood.

[@coupdsantana206]

Weird history has the best writers and narrator 🔥🔥🔥

[@kyleshiflet9952]

This is officially my favorite episode of Weird History Foods Chanel

[@Wardner213]

It always amused me that one of the mascots that represented McDonalds food was named "Grimace" 🤣

[@295g295]

The first Grimace I ever knew of was a purple monster who likes McDonalds shakes.

[@inr63]

@@295g295 - omg lmao, lemme tell you - as a 90s kid I didn’t even know he underwent some sort of reformation and seeing him as he was terrified me! (And I mean that as a woman in my late 20s 💀)

[@notsyzagts7967]

There's also Mcnugget buddies, Moon Man and Speedy. A Part 2 follow-up is needed.

[@KasumiKenshirou]

I think Speedy predates Rondald, doesn't he?

[@inr63]

@@KasumiKenshirou - Pretty sure Speedy’s the OG mascot

[@manga12]

and they forgot the professor

[@TheLochs]

My Uncle drew some of these characters. He was a Pulitzer Prize winning political cartoonist for the Chicago Tribune.

[@inr63]

As a native Chicagoan - born/raised/still here - I was happy to read this; thanks for sharing

[@TheLochs]

No problem. I grew up in Milwaukee and I remember seeing pictures on the walls at McDonAlds as a kid with my uncle’s signature on them. His name was Dick Locher. He also did some work on the old Dick Tracey cartoons. My dad took me to meet home at the Tribune when I was a kid. It must have been around 1978. He showed me how he did the cartoon and let me pick some patterns out. I remember it so vividly after all these years. I always lov d going to Chicago

[@bastiangalaz4580]

Damn it, mcdonalds has more crime than my hood.

[@inr63]

lmao

[@hoosierflatty6435]

This was way more entertaining than it had any right to be. Great script and delivery.

[@honkytonkinson9787]

I remember seeing Captain Crook sometimes but didn’t understand his association with the other characters. Now my life is fulfilled!

[@TheFlock83]

Our local McDonald’s had him looking out and holding their mailbox when I was young. Then when they redid the play place the statue was moved to the top of one of the towers. I had no idea who he was

[@cpmiller1965]

Fond memories of going to McDonalds as a kid in the late 70s and early 80s. It was a special treat for mom to take us out to a restaurant! The fries back then were so goooood.. yeah now McDonalds is just a last place to select for a meal out of shear desperation of nutrition. I still enjoy the egg McMuffins… Captain Crook terrified me as a kid, always loved mayor Mc Cheese, he was so goofy! I guess they matched his character to what most people feel politicians overall..

[@bridaw8557]

It was so much better back then. It was a treat. Not every day!

[@kimberleymcmillan682]

I'd love to know more about the history of the KoolAid Man

[@pdxdonut]

Oh yeah!

[@theantithesis1]

You forgot the Professor. He's right there.

[@andyleclerc3600]

You beat me to it...after all, he DID alert Ronald and the gang about the Fry Guys/Gobblins arrival in the 1970's

[@lorenzodeagostini8941]

I grew up in the early 2000s still having toys of all these characters except a few from the 80s and I loved them all. Good times

[@cpcva724]

The last sighting of Ronald was in a sewage drain in Maine

[@amyfisher6380]

“and now sleeps with the filet ‘o fishes.” 🤣

[@roseprevost8081]

I remember when Birdie was introduced. That's actually how I learned McD's was now doing breakfast.

[@greghartshorne6621]

“McTaken… with cheese..” I’m done😂

[@michaelturner2806]

I have fond memories as a kid of sleeping over my grandparents every few weeks. Sometimes we'd walk down to the local McDonald's, which had huge stained glass murals of various scenes in McDonaldland. I think but I might be mistaken that it had the older old man design for Hamburglar. I remember one of my Happy Meal activities was space themed, and talked about the upcoming passing of Halley's Comet, so that puts it around early 1986.

[@-NateTheGreat]

McDonald's today is a shadow of its former self. Bland Grey colored "McCafe's". Face it: When we grew up so did MCD's.

[@Ryan-wr8fx]

Fast food restaurants were more fun when they had their own unique interior designs. At least Culver's and Five Guys are still holding out

[@theantithesis1]

Probably has as much to do with those child obesity lawsuit. Parents are shit at taking care of their kids and blame the clown that sells hamburgers.

[@angelasims6068]

I'm so glad Grimace and Hamburglar changed..bc they were scary

[@justhereforthevideos2798]

I watched a video about mccafes. Apparently we aren't having enough kids for them to sell to. So they rebranded to keep selling to us

[@GMCLabs]

I feel the same way you can blame all the parents who've complained about advertising to their children because their kids were getting fat and they blamed it on McDonalds

[@SheilaRamseySoprano]

This channel is absolutely everything! Why was I just trying to remember all the McDonald's characters from when I was growing up. Thank you so much for the trip down memory lane.

[@squarebarrel]

It’s be interesting to hear about Nutrasweet. That was in everything in the 80’s

[@pamelamays4186]

Suggestion: Jack, the Jack-In-The-Box clown mascot. As time went on, it was decided that Jack, as a mascot, presented a childish image of the restaurant chain. So it was decided to get rid of him, literally. Commercials showing Jack's box being blown up started appearing on TV. This decision led to vocal protests from professional clowns.

[@lorenclarke7815]

For a while, they rebranded as Montery Jacks, to appear more "grown up"n

[@KasumiKenshirou]

The restaurants had drive-through speakers that were shaped like clowns. They wanted to have a more grown-up image so they got rid of them and had a commercial where they blew up one of these speakers to demonstrate this. Years later, the current Jack (the human wearing a spherical white head) was introduced in a commercial where he got revenge on the executives that blew up the clown speakers, setting a bomb off in their office and taking over the company. This commercial wasn't on the air for long, as shortly afterward an actual (not Jack-in-the-Box related) bombing incident occurred and they pulled the ad.

[@KasumiKenshirou]

@@lorenclarke7815 I remember the commercials with Ray Charles singing "Hit the Road, Jack" with new lyrics, so he was now singing about "Monterey Jack's".

[@judefernandez9234]

@@KasumiKenshirou It probably got removed from the air after the Oklahoma City Bombing, but I'm not sure.

[@MarcusPage15]

Now I'm interested to see the food history of Churches Chicken or Old Country Buffet.

[@angelface925]

The next food brand characters I'd like to learn about are the Burger King Kids Club kids! I always wondered if those kids had a story. I always appreciated how inclusive they were.

[@inexcelsis17]

Wasn't one of the kids in a wheelchair? I want to say the name was "Wheels", but I'm going waaaaay back.

[@maxdanielj]

I'm pretty sure it was more of a 90s thing which would explain the inclusion. Before that BK had a few characters, like the dorky looking king.

[@Drforrester31]

@@inexcelsis17 He was definitely named Wheels

[@mjisthegoat88]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/aKHZgomfaMuJla8

[@taintedlife2618]

They had some damn good toys

[@maximus1318able]

No love for the chicken mcnugget buddies???

[@heyheytaytay]

Thoughts while high af: was the Burger King once a Burger Prince???

[@edgewyze7352]

I worked at MickyD's for a year when I was 18, never paid for food once! I can relate to these mcgoons.

[@TheElusiveReality]

this episode was extra funny, good job

[@HXTPJH]

Saw a young John Goodman in there.

[@gettfoffmynews3315]

😳 whoa.... 1989 baby here... I haven't even seen half of these puppets or whatever they were supposed to be. Alot of them didn't make the 90's roster...but I learned a lot...too much really... So, thanks.

[@wickedlee664]

Hamilton Burger is the DA on the 50’s detective show Perry Mason. I just remembered that. Yup.

[@sickskoobie6768]

I love Mayor McCheese, Officer Big Mac, Grimace, the Fry Kids and Hamburglar.

[@dtdimeflicks6708]

The Hamburglar is DB Cooper. Prove me wrong, Weird History.

[@Simple_City]

I remember seeing almost all of these characters in the 1990s VHS movies I had as a kid. My favorite was "The Visitors From Outer Space". We had 4 others though, one where they went and saw Grimaces family. I don't remember the others particularly well, but I remember loving them as a kid.

[@sampoernaquatrain1710]

I don't want to bypass how good--and well-made--this excellent video was, but The Wacky Adventures of Ronald McDonald, which were VHS tapes you could get at McDonalds locations, is so good it hurts. Made by Klasky-Csupo, famous for making RUGRATS, It's charming, fun, and deserves a remaster and physical release on modern formats!

[@BrewCityGillz]

Soylent green is cheeseburgers! They’re eating cheeseburgers! 🍔🍔🍔

[@TashieRags]

I am almost 100% sure that Mayor McCheese is played by epic character actor Ed Wynn, of Disney fame and I think that that knowledge is just fabulous and making my day today. lol

[@veralindqvist3944]

Grimace the purple tongue always creeped me tf out.

[@davidgerow]

I forgot about some of these characters, like Birdie the Early Bird.

[@Astral_Blitz]

Started watching channel because this guy sounds like Kevin Spacey. Stayed for the food history tho lol.

[@taylorrogers4064]

I love how the narrator called the Lone Jogger a 70s serial killer. 😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂

[@wades623]

they arent wrong though

[@kirbymarchbarcena]

I never actually got scared of these mascots as a kid. It was the idea of the company giving them names with bad connotations that got me shaking my head.

[@whysix3417]

Enjoying the new channel, keep it up👍

[@stvojay]

I cannot like this video enough. Best in-depth McDonaldland characters video ever

[@DinoPwn]

Not mascots, but I wanna know all of the Taco Bell menu items that have come, and gone, and why they don't come back. I miss you Lava menu

[@allenelliott2114]

The volcano items at Taco Bell were the absolute best.

[@Gobble_de_Goop]

Taco Bell needs to bring back the Chilito (a.k.a Chili Cheese Burrito). Biting into one was SURE to cause mouth burns because the chili cheese was hot like lava!! 😂✌️

[@julieneff9408]

I had the Remco set and dolls of McDonaldland, as well as a stuffed Ronald. I pretty much destroyed them. I recall liking Grimace best but now I can' remember why.

[@kandreasworld4374]

I'd say the Fry Guys or Fry Kids and the McNugget bunch were my favorites. I also remember when Happy meals came in plastic trick or treat buckets in October. The first ones simply had a hole in the lid. Then came the glow in the dark ones. Then the ones with a mini lid that twisted off and was a cookie cutter. Those were the best! I still have a few of them. ☺️

[@KasumiKenshirou]

They also used to have "The McDonald's Happy Meal Guys" "Hamburger, Soft Drink, and Fries. All regular size". They were puppets of those food items with faces. I heard that these characters were the inspiration for the characters in Aqua Teen Hunger Force. Later on (I think sometime in the 90s) they introduced an alien named CosMc (pronounced "cosmic"). I don't know if he was tied to a specific menu item.

[@NewMessage]

I used to have terrible nightmares about Ronald McDonald after seeing a very, very cheap impersonator at a fair. He'd chase me around, trying to kick me with those bigass boots... with the Fry Guys cheering him on all the while. To this day, if there's a giant Ronald sitting on the bench outside, I can't go in.

[@smiles564]

I love this channel!

[@TheTravellingCanuck27]

I literally was eating a Sausage McMuffin while watching this video! I totally remember the McDonald’s Characters! I was born in 1990 so most of them where gone by that time but I do remember seeing some old McDonald’s characters on old napkins and food bags and stuff. Cool video! :D

[@inr63]

And the interactive tray liners!

[@nancygoo3405]

I enjoyed this so much, your narration is hilarious ! Thank you!

[@roseleejones8342]

I would love to see a video on the history of mcnuggets, the history of the happy meal, or history of the Mcdonalds breakfast. love these videos!

[@nicholassmith8212]

Love this channel ❤️

[@roguesample]

Can’t remember if they were actually good or not but I used to love those McDonald’s VHSes growing up

[@aleenr4425]

Great videos!! 😀

[@heatherguill9614]

I love your videos! Your narrator is the best! I am with you the hamburglar was my favorite character as a child.

[@pixelcat29]

Finally, my confusion for the grimace birthday party can rest.

[@NeonRazer42]

Glad you guys created this channel. I'm much more interested in food history and pop culture food stuff than actual history.

[@karlkutac1800]

At 8:13 - "that's when things went fry-ways". Priceless

[@floridafresa5665]

Really liking this channel

[@spoonsfull]

When I was a kid back in the 80's, going to McDonald's was a treat. I'll be honest, I can't remember if the food was good but playing at the restaurant's playground was a blast for my siblings and I. My mom still has those old Polaroids. Never cared for the story behind the characters, tho.

[@casualsuspect9878]

Thank you for telling us the whole story behind the characters. In Germany we had never those commercials and most of the characters were only toys in the Kids Menu. Never had in mind that Grimace could be a bad guy in his former career.

[@markloveless1001]

I had forgotten Ted Cassidy was the voice of Officer Big Mac. That takes me back.

[@jons.6216]

After a while I just started tuning these commercials out on Saturday mornings and other cartoon times! Haha! I'm surprised nobody ever got upset about Grimace being an imitation of Barbapoppa with all of the similar characters!!

[@lontr9771]

I always thought Grimace was a stale McNugget.

[@thecooldude4371]

Love your channel

[@skazzzz4]

You did the Professor dirty.

[@carrieeawbrey2830]

Watching these make me hungry! Could go for a cheeseburger now! Thanks Weird History Food for another interesting video! Much ♥️& all the best! Have a great day/night all!

[@kmstins]

Here's a unsolicited tidbit of information. The Big Mac was invented here in Pittsburgh, PA. 😊😁

[@spddiesel]

I once wrote a paper for creative writing class in Hamburgler. It was 500 words, compete with punctuation, and every one of those words was "robble". You can only get away with shit like that once, but I got an A on the paper.

[@kc6442]

I'm weak af "The Lone Jogger" 😂😂😂

[@pamelamays4186]

I remember when Grimace was known as The Evil Grimace who had a milkshake addiction product.

[@kristalplummer958]

Grmace

[@jmalko9152]

Loved it, too funny, best not to dwell on these things 😆

[@E2STOPTV]

Great to have that kind of stuff on YT!

[@pathologicaldoubt]

“A shocking number of enemies” lmao

[@mastervision5902]

That was great, but you forgot to explain about the Professor (who was in several of the commercials you played). Also, Mac Tonight and Cosmo, the weird alien guy.

[@mr_indie_fan]

The characters have been temporarily brought back for the adult happy meals

[@Sharpevil]

Mayor McCheese probably smells fine. It's been shown through repeated experiments that McDonald's cheeseburgers have a high enough surface area ratio that they'll actually dry out before rotting, making them appear to remain preserved indefinitely.

[@zacd1419]

I knew I shouldn't have watched this before bed!

[@12inch_monster]

so funny you brought up hr puffnstuff as i went there immediately with those 70s ads

[@KheKheGanja]

We need more vids guyssss. Ughhhh it's like a weekly series 😤🥺🥺🥺🥺

[@OutsideGamerGirl]

I used to have the displayed fry kids as toys, and had the VHS tapes of McDonald's adventures. Nostalgic video, WH.

[@TheDarkThunder]

I’m glad you did this one, don’t cha know?!

[@dxfan18]

5:48 Homer, you're drooling on the mic again!

[@nathankirk3189]

Birdie was my personal favorite! I really enjoy your videos of weird food, and weird history! Very factual and easy to watch!

[@ashblossomandjoyoussprung.9917]

I think everyone likes Birdie. How could you not?

[@silverpelt0]

@@ashblossomandjoyoussprung.9917 I even have the new toy of her, took her to the pumpkin festival

[@sludgefactory241]

Glad someone finally had the guts to explore the rich lore of mcdonaldland

[@jakejake708]

I feel like the McDonald's mascot was made to shame food thief employees

[@j.brown70]

This was funny & interesting to watch. At the McD in my neighborhood in the 70s they had big 3-D decals of the characters on the walls. And I remember Grimace’s big green uncle! And wow a baby-faced John Goodman at ~10:56.

[@melissacooper8724]

I remember seeing those McDonald's ads while watching Saturday morning cartoons. Every so often my parents took me to McDonald's for their Happy Meals.

[@hermit7903]

😊I remember these commercials.

[@eaglescout1984]

Ooh, a Mac and Me reference. Pretty nice!

[@sants.guitar]

I've only ever heard two nicknames for McDonald's. Macs or Mickey D's

[@bruceh4180]

When in Australia, people referred to them as Maccas. However they have weird names for everything

[@sants.guitar]

@@bruceh4180 im using that now