Before the days of social media, influencers, and celebrity endorsements, many brands relied on mascots to do their bidding – either on TV or in printed ads. From a tiger that's been a part of our breakfasts since the 1950s to a burger-lovin' clown, we take a look at the most popular and long-standing fictional food mascots and how they've changed throughout the years. Still waving the flag for their brands, these are some of the most influential food faces of all time.
Click or scroll through our gallery to discover the greatest food mascots of all time – counting down to the most iconic of all.
Our ranking is based on the impact and popularity of each mascot, taking into account influence, longevity and the reaction to the mascots over time. The list is unavoidably subjective.
In a bid to boost sales, sandwich chain Quiznos made headlines with its rodent mascots, the Spongmonkeys. These creepy critters, known for their uncanny human teeth and off-key singing, formed a huge part of the brand’s advertising campaign in 2003, along with the catchphrase ‘We love the subs, ‘Cause they are good to us.’ Although they were ditched a year later, partly due to the tens of thousands of complaints made about them, the Spongmonkeys garnered a cult following and quickly became immortalized in meme culture.
Founded in Denver in 1981, Quiznos once had over 5,000 locations – and at one point, it was the second-largest sub chain in the US (behind Subway, of course). Unfortunately, it was forced to file for bankruptcy in 2014, shuttering more than 4,000 stores. Fast-forward to 2023 and the brand returned with a new look, catchy ad (featuring the Spongmonkeys on a road trip to find the nation’s remaining Quiznos), and the news that it was planning to open many more locations.
Known to most as the Pillsbury Doughboy, this lovable character's real name is Poppin' Fresh. First introduced in a TV ad in 1965, the pudgy character with bright blue eyes, a smiling face, and a world-famous giggle was originally only supposed to promote Pillsbury's range of refrigerated dough. Within three years, the Doughboy became so popular that the company made him the face of all its products.
Created by a designer from Disney, who used stop-motion clay animation to bring Poppin' Fresh to life, the character has appeared in over 600 ads for 50 products. Since the 1970s, Poppin' has also introduced many of his family members, including Poppie Fresh, Granmommer and Granpopper, Uncle Rollie, son Popper, daughter Bun-Bun, and Flapjack and Biscuit (the Fresh family's dog and cat). Today, the cute character still sports his signature chef's hat and white neckerchief, and when given a belly tickle, will respond with the famous 'Hoo Hoo!'
Named after a particularly large variety of pea harvested by the Minnesota Valley Canning Company, the Green Giant brand first appeared in 1925. The original giant (pictured here on a can from 1928) had very little in common with the version we're familiar with today – a scowling caveman, the giant wore a bearskin and was a nod to a Brothers Grimm fairytale. A decade later, his image was revised to appear more friendly to audiences. With a new leafy suit and a warm smile, he was renamed the Jolly Green Giant.
Over the years, the Jolly Green Giant's appearance has changed several times. In 1936, he carried a cob of corn to celebrate the launch of tinned sweetcorn – and in the 1960s, the mascot was given a red scarf to usher in the company's frozen ranges. Since 1972, he's also been accompanied by the Little Green Sprout, his young apprentice. The Jolly Green Giant is regarded as one of the top ad icons of the 20th century, and a 55-foot tall (16.7m) fiberglass statue of the mascot now welcomes visitors to the town of Blue Earth, Minnesota, where the company was founded.
Although he's most commonly associated with Nesquik's chocolate drinks and cereal these days, Quicky's first appearance was on the packaging of strawberry-flavored milk powder Quik (a predecessor to Nesquik) in 1960. Sporting a strawberry hat, the pink rabbit was pictured eagerly drinking the milk. In the early 1970s, Quicky was redesigned and took on his now familiar appearance.
It’s no accident that Nestlé's trustworthy mascot is a rabbit. Advertising executives were keen to underline how quick and easy it is to make a drink with Nesquik, and a bouncy, energetic rabbit was deemed the best way to do it. In the early 2000s, some ads saw Quicky dressed in baggy jeans and a baseball cap, but his facial features have remained largely unaltered over the years.
Part of the Hostess family, Twinkies have graced grocery store shelves since 1930 – and they continue to be a cherished choice for children and adults alike. It wasn’t until 1971 that Twinkie the Kid, a cheery character inspired by the cream-filled cakes, appeared on the brand’s packaging. He came clad in cowboy attire, with a wide-brimmed hat, neckerchief, and boots.
Twinkie the Kid took a starring role in commercials throughout the 1980s, and his appearance hasn't changed too drastically over the years. The brand decided to retire Twinkie in 1988; however, upon hearing the news, Judd Slivka, a teen boy from New Jersey, threatened to boycott the brand and even went as far as creating the ‘Save the Twinkie the Kid Foundation.’ He sent a letter with 135 signatures to Continental Baking, the producer of the snack at the time, asking the company to revoke its decision – which it did, two years later.
One of the oldest food mascots around, Mr. Peanut is a centenarian who first appeared in Planters ads and on products in 1916. Reportedly of British heritage, Mr. Peanut, full name Bartholomew Richard Fitzgerald-Smythe, is a smartly dressed gentleman sporting white gloves and spats, with a cane, monocle, and top hat. The character never spoke in ads until as recently as 2010, when Robert Downey Jr. became Mr. Peanut's first-ever voice actor. Mr. Peanut is pictured here in a promotional book from 1920.
In a rather shocking turn of events, Mr. Peanut died in a Super Bowl commercial in 2020, sacrificing himself to save actors Wesley Snipes and Matt Walsh after a NUTmobile accident. The full ad showed the actors and fellow mascots, like Kool-Aid Man and Mr. Clean, attending Mr. Peanut's funeral. In the end, a combination of Kool-Aid Man's tears and sunlight resulted in a new incarnation of Mr. Peanut, Baby Nut, who grew from the soil. Throughout 2020, Baby Nut became Peanut Jr., who then became the new Mr. Peanut in May 2021.
In the early 1950s, almost three decades after Kool-Ade – as it was then known – first hit shelves, advertising executive Marvin Potts created a sentient pitcher known as Pitcher Man. In 1974, the idea for Kool-Aid Man was developed, and the pitcher was given arms, legs, and an explosive personality. By the 1980s, he had become a popular cultural icon with his own Marvel comic series – The Adventures of Kool-Aid Man – where he fought off villains called Thirsties (pictured).
Up until 1994, Kool-Aid Man was a live-action character, smashing through walls exclaiming his signature slogan 'Oh yeah!' before delivering a refreshing drink to thirsty kids. Although the mascot became entirely computer-generated in 2008, the live-action version has made several appearances since then. The famous pitcher is also a supporting character in the animated TV show Family Guy and has made notable appearances in both The Simpsons and Robot Chicken.
One of McDonald’s most recognizable characters, Grimace was first introduced as a milkshake-stealing villain in 1971. Within a year, the colorful purple mascot was rebranded as Ronald McDonald’s cuddly but clumsy best friend. He was one of the original McDonaldland characters, and his cheerful, smiley face was emblazoned on the now-discontinued McDonaldland Cookies.
Grimace made the headlines in 2021, when, after years of speculation about the character's mysterious identity, Brian Bates, the manager of a McDonald’s restaurant in Canada, revealed that he is, in fact, an enormous taste bud. In 2023, the fast food chain released a limited-edition Grimace-inspired shake and a line of merchandise to celebrate its 51st anniversary. Grimace has even had relatives pop up from time to time, including his Irish relative, Uncle O’Grimacey, who was introduced in 1975 as part of a St. Patrick’s Day campaign for the Shamrock Shake. After a long hiatus, he re-emerged in February 2025.
Colorful and friendly, Toucan Sam has graced Froot Loops boxes since the cereal launched in 1963. Over six decades later, the rainbow-hued bird continues to be loved by both children and adults. Fans of the cereal have always adored his cheerful persona and fun catchphrase ‘Follow your nose! It always knows!’ In the brand’s commercials, the mascot originally debuted with an American accent before switching to a British voice, which the character is now usually associated with.
Toucan Sam has been joined by a few regular on-screen characters over the years, including his nephews Puey, Susey, and Louis, who have appeared alongside him since 1994. Froot Loops rebranded Toucan Sam in 2020, switching him from a three-dimensional character to a two-dimensional one and changing up his iconic three-stripe beak to a tie-dye–style look (pictured). Fans were far from happy, and within a year, the brand redesigned the mascot again, this time with a more nostalgic appearance.
Cheetos' original mascot, the Cheetos Mouse, was dropped in favor of Chester Cheetah in 1985. Chester is often pictured attempting to steal other people's Cheetos, and his sly, smooth voice can usually be heard uttering slogans such as 'It's not easy being cheesy' and 'Dangerously cheesy!' in TV commercials. However, the suave cat hasn't always been so smooth – in the early days, his stunts often ended in disaster.
The self-described 'hip kitty' underwent an image change in the early 2000s, when he became a computer-generated character. The 21st-century Chester has also gained a cool mid-Atlantic accent and is no longer getting in all sorts of trouble for Cheetos. Instead, he encourages consumers to use their Cheetos for pranks, and he often engages in tongue-in-cheek conversation with his followers on social media.
Originally named L.C. Leprechaun, and also known as the God of the Charms, this friendly Irish character now goes by the name Lucky the Leprechaun. You’ll find his cheery face, complete with emerald green attire and orange hair, plastered across boxes of Lucky Charms. He first landed on the cereal box in the early 1960s and has remained the brand’s mascot ever since.
Over the years, Lucky has been voiced by a few actors, most recognizably the late Arthur Anderson. In 1975, he was briefly replaced by Waldo the Wizard, a magical character who wore a green cape and a wizard’s hat. Cereal boxes featuring the new character were test marketed in New England, but they didn’t last long – within a year, Lucky returned, to the relief of his many fans.
Smiling out from cereal boxes, Cap'n Crunch, whose full name is Horatio Magellan Crunch, is an 18th-century captain with a Revolutionary-style naval uniform. Introduced in 1963, the colorful character became one of Quaker Oats' most-loved mascots. The captain sails on the SS Guppy and comes from Crunch Island in the Sea of Milk – a magical place with talking trees that produce Crunch Berries, and mountains made from Cap'n Crunch cereal.
Over the years, other characters have been added to the Crunch universe, including Sea Dog, Smedley the Elephant, shapeshifting Chockle the Blob, and bare-footed pirate Jean LaFoote. In the 1980s, the captain was also often pictured fighting the Soggies and their leader Sogmaster, with most commercials centered around their efforts to make cereal go soggy. Unlike many other mascots, Cap'n Crunch's appearance hasn't really changed in the 60-plus years he's been a part of our lives.
The Burger King has had many faces throughout his time as mascot for the popular fast food chain. He first appeared in 1955 at a Burger King restaurant in Miami, Florida and could be seen sitting on his burger throne. For a short stint during the 1970s, he was renamed Kurger Bing, before being replaced again by the Marvelous Magical Burger King – a red-bearded Tudor-inspired king who performed magic tricks and ruled over the Burger King Kingdom.
The mascot was retired for a few years before returning simply as the King, sporting a somewhat unnerving oversized mask. The story goes that an advertising executive was hired to reimagine the mascot and happened to find a huge Marvelous Magical Burger King head for sale on eBay. He bought the mask for inspiration but, after consideration, the agency decided to restore it and make it a part of the king's new image in 2004. Since then, the King's grinning face has appeared in many unexpected places, like behind doors or in people's beds, offering them Burger King food.
The mascot for Kellogg's Frosted Flakes since 1952, Tony the Tiger has been part of morning meals for decades. Originally much more tiger-like, with a teardrop-shaped head, Tony was designed by a team of former Disney animators. But what really made this mascot so popular wasn't necessarily his looks. Voiced by Thurl Ravenscroft for five decades, Tony's deep tone and familiar catchphrase 'They're gr-r-reat!' instantly appealed to customers. Pictured is one of the first print adverts to feature Tony, from 1952.
In the 1970s, Tony the Tiger was revealed to be Italian American, and audiences were introduced to his wider family: Mama Tony, Mrs. Tony, and daughter Antoinette. His son, Tony Jr., even had his own short-lived cereal, Frosted Rice. Today, Tony's appearance might have changed to become more muscular and human-like, but the familiar blue nose, friendly smile, and black-and-white ears remain.
Believe it or not, the Quaker Oats man isn’t based on a real person. The first breakfast cereal to be trademarked, Quaker Oats registered with ‘a figure of a man in Quaker garb’ in 1877, and the brand’s boxes have been adorned with pictures of the gentleman since production began. PepsiCo’s website states that he was chosen as the brand's mascot as ‘the Quaker faith projected the values of honesty, integrity, purity, and strength.'
Complete with a wide-brimmed blue hat, a white neckerchief, and a subtle smile, the character is known unofficially as ‘Larry’ by those who work for the brand. His appearance has barely changed since Quaker Oats’ inception, and you’ll now find his face on all of the company’s products, from granola bars to instant oatmeal.
While these crunchy coated chocolate pieces have been a part of American culture since the 1940s, it wasn’t until the 1990s that M&M’s ‘Spokescandies’ were introduced. Due to a drop in sales, the company hired ad agency BBDO to come up with an exciting brand campaign – and as a result, the company turned its famous candies into characters. Complete with quirky personalities, the animated mascots were voiced by comedians and played a starring role in the chocolate brand’s advertising. Red was sarcastic, Yellow was goofy, Orange was scared, and Blue was super cool.
In 2022, the mascots got a subtle makeover, and the brand also launched Purple, the first-ever female peanut M&M. In a punchy PR stunt, M&M's then announced that the candy characters would be ‘indefinitely retired’ and replaced by actor and comedian Maya Rudolph, the company's new ‘Chief of Fun.' It was short lived, and the Spokescandies returned just weeks later in a 2023 Super Bowl ad.
America's First Lady of Food, Betty Crocker was dreamed up in 1921 by General Mills (then the Washburn Crosby Company) to answer the countless baking questions the company received from consumers. The name Betty was chosen as it sounded friendly, and Crocker was the surname of a retired company director. For many years, home economist Marjorie Husted (pictured) was the real-life woman behind the fictional Betty, scripting and voicing Betty’s radio show The Betty Crocker Cookery School of the Air from 1924 onwards.
Being imaginary didn’t stop Betty hitting her stride in the 1950s; during this decade, she did everything from starring in her own TV show and commercials (played by actor Adelaide Hawley) to publishing dozens of bestselling cookbooks and launching her famous range of cake mixes. Although most people know she's a fictional character, she's still regarded as one of the most influential chefs to inspire home cooks in the 20th century. Here, Betty's changing face is pictured through the decades.
Ronald McDonald was introduced to the world in 1963, when actor Willard Scott (who played the immensely popular Bozo the Clown at the time) took on the persona of the red-haired clown for three TV ads promoting McDonald's. He was referred to as 'Ronald McDonald – the hamburger-happy clown,' and he sported a drink cup on his nose and a food tray as a hat. The character proved popular almost instantly, largely due to the success of Bozo at the time. Soon after, Ronald took on the form we all recognize today.
Throughout the 1980s and 1990s, Ronald McDonald was part of a fictional world called McDonaldland, where he was often portrayed having adventures with characters like Mayor McCheese and the Hamburglar. During this time, the characters (especially Ronald) were played by actors who attended regular events – at one point, there were as many as 300 full-time clowns employed by McDonald's. The McDonaldland characters were dropped in 2003, and while Ronald makes far fewer appearances these days, he's still arguably the best-known food mascot in the world.
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Last updated by Lottie Woodrow.