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Announcing the McDonald's Mascot Tier list
- Thread starter CaptainNuevo
- Start date
Will a broad list of criteria be shown? Like, if Bernice is somehow "top tier", that indicates that having deep and longstanding lore is not a requirement for being top tier. Which is fine, but it makes guessing their place feel random rather than informed because we have no understanding how esoteric the tier list is capable of being. For all I know, having the first letter of the character name be B could mean B-Tier...
Or is that the intention? That guessing each character's place one-by-one will get easier as we start to understand you previous reasonings?
Either way I like the idea but the bio is critical. It's searchable anyway, so you might as well put it in the thread as the characters come up. Otherwise, it feels needlessly obtuse :)
Vote: Bottom Tier
Or is that the intention? That guessing each character's place one-by-one will get easier as we start to understand you previous reasonings?
Either way I like the idea but the bio is critical. It's searchable anyway, so you might as well put it in the thread as the characters come up. Otherwise, it feels needlessly obtuse :)
Vote: Bottom Tier
So for a hot minute as a kid I thought the Fry Kids and the Pac Man ghost were interchangeable.
The Colonel can totally take him!I think Mugen already decided this
I really dunno about Bernice. They're unremarkable, have very few appearances, most people don't know they exist, and I don't think their design is appealing. I suspect they'll be somewhere in the middle, but I'd rank them at the bottom.
I wonder if the number of markets they've appeared in influences the ranking or if it's like, very US centric because I suspect that might partially contribute to the lack of awareness about her existence.
The McDonalds wiki is even inconsistent because her specific character page lists her appearances as spanning 1992-2001 but the general character list page cites 2008 as the second date.
Also I watched the commercials she was in. Bernice has like 0 redeeming qualities other than suggesting a word that starts with D and I feel that's only because she interjected quickly, someone like the Hamburglar or even Ronald himself would have surely suggested one.
CaptainNuevo can you reveal how many tiers there will be in total so we can make our own tier lists alongside you?
I wonder if the number of markets they've appeared in influences the ranking or if it's like, very US centric because I suspect that might partially contribute to the lack of awareness about her existence.
The McDonalds wiki is even inconsistent because her specific character page lists her appearances as spanning 1992-2001 but the general character list page cites 2008 as the second date.
Also I watched the commercials she was in. Bernice has like 0 redeeming qualities other than suggesting a word that starts with D and I feel that's only because she interjected quickly, someone like the Hamburglar or even Ronald himself would have surely suggested one.
CaptainNuevo can you reveal how many tiers there will be in total so we can make our own tier lists alongside you?
Bernice Ranking + Fry Guys Bio
OP
OP
Thank you folks for staying tuned and finding out the current rankings! I know you've been waiting a while and here is the first one!
Bernice
Name: Bernice
AKA: Bernice
Species: Bernice
First appearance: 1992
Marital Status: Single and ready to Mingle
Tier: TBA.
Notable traits: Bernice is brown. And has a nose. Also has a movie script.
Bernice first showed up with a lot of disrespect put to her name, being called simply "Something" and being on a TV. Bernice wasn't actually given a name until sometime after her first appearance, which just goes to show you how much she was originally intended to be a throwaway character.
But starting this list with a throwaway would be weird right? And you're correct. Bernice was not relegated to a single one-off appearance and was instead made to be a somewhat recurring character, even having the key role in a 3-part ad series.
In this series, Ronald is trying to make a movie. But Bernice the script. Bernice notices that she is hungry for something. She eats the script, causing Ronald to be unable to make the commercial. Ronald is then forced to use his magic to find out who the ad is supposed to be about. He finds the letters:
K
D
I
S
and uses magic to decide they spell...
KIDS.
He gets it wrong. Bernice knows the original ad was supposed to be Ronald's awful fanfic addition to the Fast & The Furious cinema film series (the word was SKID, referring to skid marks that tires make). Bernice saved film and cinema that day. And all she had to do was eat a script.
Interestingly, Bernice bears a striking resemblence to a certain fictional character from 1986...
yes that's right.
Hooter. Both of them have long noses. Both of them eat things they aren't supposed to. This makes me think Bernice is an homage to Hooter, which is awesome.
Sadly, Bernice gets little representation outside of the commercials she's starred in, having no appearances in any games as far as I can tell, nor any direct toys featuring her. This means her lasting legacy is pretty poor, and I have to dock points from her for this. Otherwise, she's pretty cool as a weird design that they used whenever non-food needed to be eaten.
Some other things she's eaten:
Cities
(Interesting piece of actual trivia about this ad: They filmed 5 versions of this with kids of different nationalities to use in different parts of the world. And this was in 1996.)
The Happy Meal Box
Overall Bernice's legacy is the crumbs she left behind, and the fact she was able to turn a one-off appearance into a pretty diverse role where she played both Ronald's friend (in Making Movies) and a foe type role (in Ronald In the Movies). This definitely makes her a pretty interesting character overall.
TIER: Would share a Meal With
NEXT:
The Fry Kids
Name: Fry Kids
AKA: Gobblins
Marital Status: Open
First Appearance: 1972
Notable Traits: There's a lot of them and they have lots of colors and are kinda stringy looking.
Bernice
Name: Bernice
AKA: Bernice
Species: Bernice
First appearance: 1992
Marital Status: Single and ready to Mingle
Tier: TBA.
Notable traits: Bernice is brown. And has a nose. Also has a movie script.
Bernice first showed up with a lot of disrespect put to her name, being called simply "Something" and being on a TV. Bernice wasn't actually given a name until sometime after her first appearance, which just goes to show you how much she was originally intended to be a throwaway character.
But starting this list with a throwaway would be weird right? And you're correct. Bernice was not relegated to a single one-off appearance and was instead made to be a somewhat recurring character, even having the key role in a 3-part ad series.
In this series, Ronald is trying to make a movie. But Bernice the script. Bernice notices that she is hungry for something. She eats the script, causing Ronald to be unable to make the commercial. Ronald is then forced to use his magic to find out who the ad is supposed to be about. He finds the letters:
K
D
I
S
and uses magic to decide they spell...
KIDS.
He gets it wrong. Bernice knows the original ad was supposed to be Ronald's awful fanfic addition to the Fast & The Furious cinema film series (the word was SKID, referring to skid marks that tires make). Bernice saved film and cinema that day. And all she had to do was eat a script.
Interestingly, Bernice bears a striking resemblence to a certain fictional character from 1986...
yes that's right.
Hooter. Both of them have long noses. Both of them eat things they aren't supposed to. This makes me think Bernice is an homage to Hooter, which is awesome.
Sadly, Bernice gets little representation outside of the commercials she's starred in, having no appearances in any games as far as I can tell, nor any direct toys featuring her. This means her lasting legacy is pretty poor, and I have to dock points from her for this. Otherwise, she's pretty cool as a weird design that they used whenever non-food needed to be eaten.
Some other things she's eaten:
Cities
(Interesting piece of actual trivia about this ad: They filmed 5 versions of this with kids of different nationalities to use in different parts of the world. And this was in 1996.)
The Happy Meal Box
Overall Bernice's legacy is the crumbs she left behind, and the fact she was able to turn a one-off appearance into a pretty diverse role where she played both Ronald's friend (in Making Movies) and a foe type role (in Ronald In the Movies). This definitely makes her a pretty interesting character overall.
TIER: Would share a Meal With
NEXT:
The Fry Kids
Name: Fry Kids
AKA: Gobblins
Marital Status: Open
First Appearance: 1972
Notable Traits: There's a lot of them and they have lots of colors and are kinda stringy looking.
OP
OP
OP
OP
Are we including variants as separate entries? Kinda like how 616 Cap and Ultimates Cap are considered different?
That's a good question. There definitely are some variants which I consider to be unique characters, and it kinda comes down to personality and the way they were portrayed. I don't yet have Donald McDonald as separate from Ronald McDonald, but I'll look into it more and see.
I'm not sure if he counts. He was a more sophisticated entry. An Arch Deluxe if you will.
Appropriate that he gives it to the twins from The Shining, I'm sure this gave a fair few kids nightmares.
OP
OP
Hey, that's no way to talk about beloved icon Bernice.
Cant say I agree with Bernice's ranking. She's a budget Alf with a somewhat more tolerable (yet still atrocious) diet. I admit that the scope of her appearances is impressive however, considering how unpleasant she is. But on to bigger and better things- the Fry Kids. They're about as top tier as it gets. The rest of the mascots have a tough act to follow if you ask me. Bernice was lucky she got ranked first.
Yeah hard disagree on Bernice, although her being the first to be ranked and my lack of expertise in the subject leads me to ask myself what horrors are left to be uncovered.
Great job on the Bernice bio. I never knew they straight up called her a terrible something when she was revealed. That would never fly today in our post I'm Loving It world
The Fry Kids are in the Hall of Horrors for sure, you think they would have realized what a mistake they made before they added the Fry Girls and just designed better characters
The Fry Kids are in the Hall of Horrors for sure, you think they would have realized what a mistake they made before they added the Fry Girls and just designed better characters
OP
OP
why does it matter so much what species Bernice is to you? Bernice is Bernice, and a beloved and important character She taught children theycan overcome their destiny.
Appreciate your time and effort. Consider me even more invested into this. ❤️
You know Grimace is going to come out top tier. Dread it, run from it, etc.
I feel like Hooter got dragged a bit by association with Bernice. He's an unsung hero of the EO Crew.
btw... this is my new fav thread.
btw... this is my new fav thread.
I didn't like Bernice much before, and now you're trying to lump my main man Hooter in with her nonsense?!
I don't see Bernice getting loose on the keys like him, or transforming totally-not-the-Borg through the power of love and dance. Disgusting.
OP
OP
Hooter is the best thing in that movie and a treasure. Hooter did not get dragged by his association to Bernice. Both parties in that comparison were true winners.
I look forward to the thread about Mayor McCheese so I can post a video of him as Hamlet in an episode of 30 Rock.
OP
OP
It is most assuredly canon and official.
I think Bernice's placement will make more sense once more of the tiers are revealed in the coming days.
OP
OP
Yeah there's only 5 tiers. I meant once more of the tier placements are revealed. I.e. you all find out more about who's on each tier.
OP
OP
Ok so I can't actually... change the poll here. Not sure what the best way to do this is to have folks guess the tier, but I'll carry on with it tomorrow anyhow.
Hey OP, I really appreciate the thread and how you're sticking to your principles in how to run it. Just a quick question though as I think about potential tier placements: what exactly qualifies as a mascot? For example, in the makin' movies Bernice commercial the camera and other members of the movie kit have speaking roles. Are they gonna be included in your tier list. Thanks for your time!
NEXT:
The Fry Kids
Name: Fry Kids
AKA: Gobblins
Marital Status: Open
First Appearance: 1972
Notable Traits: There's a lot of them and they have lots of colors and are kinda stringy looking.
Those aren't strings, they're fries.
So the fry kids are literally walking masses of fries and EYES.
I like the fry kids like the talking mcnuggets, if you try to meme or hate on them then you're a heartless dingus
fuck racists for trying to take mac tonight
youtu.be
SAINT PEPSI - ENJOY YOURSELF (Music Video)
Part 2: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-UIljxhtZkE&ab_channel=SunLeviEnjoy yourself from Late Night Delight!----------------------------Late Night Delight: ...
youtu.be
is spending one's precious leisure time ranking the marketing materials of a massive junk food corporation an american thing?
What about Phil A.O'Fish?
www.snopes.com
Did McDonald's Ads Once Feature 'Phil A. O'Fish'?
An anthropomorphic sea cod carrying a fishing net might look like another example of the "fake vintage ad," but was it?
www.snopes.com
Fry Kids Rank/Sundae Bio
OP
OP
The Fry Kids
Name: Fry Kids
AKA: Gobblins
Marital Status: Open
First Appearance: 1971
Notable Traits: There's a lot of them and they have lots of colors and are kinda stringy looking.
The Fry Kids have a long history at McDonald's, originally showing up in the 70s as the "French Fry Gobblins", and have been redesigned quite a few times over the years. The below picture shows 3 of the major transformations they went through, starting with their original pre-lawsuit look on the top, their 1973 look in the bottom left, and ending with the more modern look on the bottom right.
Eagle-eyed readers may notice that I mentioned PRE-Lawsuit. That's right folks, the Fry Kids were lucky enough to be some of the remaining characters who survived the Kroftt vs McDonald's lawsuit.
Their first appearance was actually in the 5th McDonaldLand commercial named French Fry Thatch. It's actually really hard to find uploads of this ad (probably at least partially due to the Kroftt lawsuit), but I managed to find an upload of it here:
(In case that gets taken down, here's a B&W photo of the set, with the Gobblins visible on the left:
)
The Gobblins continued to add to their ranks during the 70s, capping out at an alleged 6 members before the reboot. Another early appearance of the Gobblins is visible in the 1973 ad "Rainy Day":
Once McDonaldLand rebooted after the lawsuit was settled, the Gobblins returned as the Fry Guys. Initially a group of 3 males, they showed up first in 1983:
The Fry Guys were pretty popular, and inspired another squad of all females, named the Fry Girls who debuted in 1986.
Eventually the 2 groups merged and became the Fry Kids we know and love.
Due to their age, the Fry Kids have had plenty of representation across all types of media. They've appeared in the commercials, as toys, and even in cult classic (and what's widely considered one of the 5 best sega genesis/megadrive games McDonald's Treasure Land Adventure):
For their ability to fight back and never be cast out of the Kingdom, as well as their general contributions to the land of McDonaldLand, the Fry Kids are some true fighters. That said, they are legion and they lack a distinct personality or real motivations as characters, so they have to be ranked accordingly.
TIER: Tiers for Fiers
NEXT UP:
Sundae
Name: Sundae
AKA: The Good Boi
Marital Status: ...It's a dog, settle down.
Species: Dog
First Appearance: TV series
Name: Fry Kids
AKA: Gobblins
Marital Status: Open
First Appearance: 1971
Notable Traits: There's a lot of them and they have lots of colors and are kinda stringy looking.
The Fry Kids have a long history at McDonald's, originally showing up in the 70s as the "French Fry Gobblins", and have been redesigned quite a few times over the years. The below picture shows 3 of the major transformations they went through, starting with their original pre-lawsuit look on the top, their 1973 look in the bottom left, and ending with the more modern look on the bottom right.
Eagle-eyed readers may notice that I mentioned PRE-Lawsuit. That's right folks, the Fry Kids were lucky enough to be some of the remaining characters who survived the Kroftt vs McDonald's lawsuit.
Their first appearance was actually in the 5th McDonaldLand commercial named French Fry Thatch. It's actually really hard to find uploads of this ad (probably at least partially due to the Kroftt lawsuit), but I managed to find an upload of it here:
(In case that gets taken down, here's a B&W photo of the set, with the Gobblins visible on the left:
The Gobblins continued to add to their ranks during the 70s, capping out at an alleged 6 members before the reboot. Another early appearance of the Gobblins is visible in the 1973 ad "Rainy Day":
Once McDonaldLand rebooted after the lawsuit was settled, the Gobblins returned as the Fry Guys. Initially a group of 3 males, they showed up first in 1983:
The Fry Guys were pretty popular, and inspired another squad of all females, named the Fry Girls who debuted in 1986.
Eventually the 2 groups merged and became the Fry Kids we know and love.
Due to their age, the Fry Kids have had plenty of representation across all types of media. They've appeared in the commercials, as toys, and even in cult classic (and what's widely considered one of the 5 best sega genesis/megadrive games McDonald's Treasure Land Adventure):
For their ability to fight back and never be cast out of the Kingdom, as well as their general contributions to the land of McDonaldLand, the Fry Kids are some true fighters. That said, they are legion and they lack a distinct personality or real motivations as characters, so they have to be ranked accordingly.
TIER: Tiers for Fiers
NEXT UP:
Sundae
Name: Sundae
AKA: The Good Boi
Marital Status: ...It's a dog, settle down.
Species: Dog
First Appearance: TV series
Younger me would've been afraid of sundae. I think it's the eyes.
Agree with the Fry Kids ranking, and once again incredible job with the profile + analysis. Thanks!
Agree with the Fry Kids ranking, and once again incredible job with the profile + analysis. Thanks!