Over the years, McDonald’s has used cars to promote its restaurants, making the BurgerCuda the latest in a long line of marketing initiatives on four wheels. Arguably the most famous is Ronald McDonald’s big red shoe car, which turned heads in Houston, Texas, over 20 years ago when it was created. Complete with giant yellow shoelaces, a bright red paint job, and a golden arches-shaped windshield, the piece commissioned by local McDonald’s franchise owners became a nationwide sensation in short order. The car was designed by artist Jason Barnett, who sketched it out, created its fiberglass body, fitted it with a presumably reliable V8 engine, and more, as he shared in a 2011 interview with Product Mobiles.
Additionally, the McDonald’s brand has appeared on the racetrack on several occasions. The earliest instances of the burger chain entering the racing game date back to the early 1970s when the company sponsored Benny Parsons and his 1972 Chevrolet. Other names who’ve raced with McDonald’s branding on their cars include Bill Elliott, Andy Huston, and Jamie McMurray. Most recently, Bubba Wallace and Tyler Reddick have partnered with McDonald’s, adorning their respective vehicles with the fast food giant’s signature logo and red and yellow color scheme.
Few things can grab the public’s attention like an impressive, colorful, or otherwise unique car. From Ronald McDonald’s big red shoe to the Hamburglar’s BurgerCuda, McDonald’s has truly gone above and beyond in the realm of automobile marketing.
