Fast food mascots are so iconic and evoke immediate brand recognition. You see Ronald McDonald and think of happy memories at McDonald’s as a kid. Even real people, like Wendy and Colonel Sanders, can become mascots and elevate the brand to new heights. Most of these mascots have been there since the business first started, or at least for a long while. But then you have those mascots who seemed destined for greatness, only to disappear somewhere along the line. Like, what happened to the Taco Bell chihuahua? We’re here to look at some forgotten mascots who were once big and then disappeared.
#1: Bob’s Big Boy (Big Boy, 1955-Present, Jokingly Retired in 2020)
Okay, this wasn’t really replaced, but it’s worth talking about. We all know the Big Boy mascot; he’s literally a 7-foot-tall boy holding a tray with a burger on it. He was based on a man named Richard Woodruff, who walked into Bob’s Pantry (the original name for the restaurant). Bob was trying to find a name for his new burger, and when he greeted Richard, he said, “Hello, Big Boy.” The name stuck, and the mascot was a caricature of Richard when he was a young lad.
But in 2020, they announced Dolly, Big Boy’s girlfriend, would replace the mascot. Yes, he has a girlfriend. She’s from the Adventures of the Big Boy comics. Yes, there are comics. However, this was a publicity stunt to promote their new chicken sandwich. Big Boys still have the iconic statues outside of their restaurants.