The Tarnished History of Mac Tonight

[TMC]

In the early to mid 1980s, during the burger wars, Wendy's, Burger King and McDonalds all realized they needed to shake thing up.

Wendy's had "Where's The Beef" and McDonalds, partly inspired by Max Headroom, introduced Mac Tonight, a singing moon-headed mascot intended to alert customers that anytime was the right time for McDonalds.

Mac Tonight blew up in popularity, rolled out nationally and went on to become a cult icon who was fondly remembered.

But the internet eventually got hold of him and tarnished all of that. This is the story of Mac Tonight.

All amusement parks need restaurants right? In this minisode, Kevin talks about the history of the now-defunct McDonald's advertising character, Mac Tonight.

He was a burger-loving, moon-headed man who enticed you out into the night on top of his flying piano, and for a time, he was loved by many. So why did McDonald's send him packing?

• Who is Mac Tonight? | 0:00
• McEvening dining | 0:58
• Mac victorious | 1:1:49
• Behind the mask | 2:48
• Mack the Knife | 3:46
• Mac in Asia | 5:25
• Meet Mac Tonight | 6:03
• Mac's influence | 6:48

Voiceover by: Krystle Futrell

Weird History Food is covering some classic McDonald's Commercial Mascots. Portrayed by a young Doug Jones wearing a 'Mac Tonight' mask, Mac was the epitome of cool, as far as crescent moon-headed coolness goes. Depicted playing a piano and singing jazz-themed jingles, the McDonald’s Moon Man became an instant hit the world over. He appears innocent enough, but behind the catchy tune and smiling visage lies a history entangled in homicide-themed pop songs, lawsuits, the so-called "Burger Wars," and racially offensive internet memes.

The Forgotten McDonalds Mascot – Mac Tonight.

Mac Tonight was a fictional character used in the marketing for McDonald's restaurants during the mid-1980s. Known for his crescent moon head, sunglasses and piano-playing, the character used the song "Mack the Knife" which was made famous in the United States by Bobby Darin.

Originally conceived as a promotion to increase dinner sales by Southern California licensees, Mac Tonight's popularity led McDonald's to take it nationwide in 1987. Although McDonald's ceased airing the commercials and retired the character after settling a lawsuit brought by Darin's estate in 1989, the company reintroduced the character nineteen years later throughout Southeast Asia in 2007.

In this episode we explore the history, impact, and eventual fate of this forgotten McDonalds Mascot.