The Real Reason You Haven’t Seen Ronald McDonald In Years
Ah, Ronald McDonald. What a character! No trip to McDonald’s would be complete without seeing its mascot in some form around the restaurant. Yep, he was everywhere in the past. But then a few years ago the iconic clown seemingly disappeared without a trace. Why? Well, we’ve got the answers – and they might just shock you. As well as sending your fries flying across the table...
The man in red
We don’t know about you, but we always get a warm, fuzzy feeling whenever Ronald’s name comes up. He’s definitely a nostalgic figure, and it’s not just because his face was plastered across the fast food restaurants. Because McDonald’s actually utilized the clown in a number of interesting ways back in the day.
Triple threat
Alongside his television appearances advertising the chain, Ronald made his comic book debut in the 1970s, you see. The clown’s run was short-lived, yet the Charlton Comics set can fetch a pretty penny today. A copy of the first issue, for instance, was valued at over $110 on eBay at the time of writing.
Making friends
Ronald was eventually given a helping hand with his main advertising role thanks to the introduction of some new buddies. Yep, we’re referring to the McDonaldland crew. Remember them? The likes of Grimace, Birdie the Early Bird, The McNugget Buddies, Mayor McCheese and The Hamburglar were very recognizable for a time.
His name in lights
So with his new buddies in tow, Ronald and the McDonaldland crew dominated the restaurant brand across the 1980s and 1990s. Plus McDonald’s went on to create a number of cartoons with the group front and center. They were exclusive to the chain, meaning you couldn’t see them anywhere else.
