Fast-food mascots are a diverse bunch that have included Chihuahuas (Taco Bell), anthropomorphic purple taste buds (McDonald's), singing rats (Chuck E. Cheese), and diminutive versions of Roman figures (Little Caesars). The pantheon of mascots also included quite a few clowns, most notably Ronald McDonald (and here's , in case you were curious).
Like McDonald's, Dairy Queen also used a clown to advertise its cold treats, although it doesn't appear that the chain's Curly the Clown had as much staying power as Ronald (though Curly came first). Not much is known about this mysterious, slightly off-putting clown, other than the fact that a small number of Curly signs were installed in front of select Dairy Queens at some point during the mid-20 century. One of these relics persisted until recently, when Dairy Queen corporate requested that a Shelbyville, Indiana, location remove its Curly the Clown signage from the premises.
The sign had been standing tall for over six decades, and featured Curly in all his green-haired glory. It's also claimed that this signage is the last remaining depiction of Curly at Dairy Queen locations, which are now mostly identified by signs featuring the letters DQ in white over a red background and accented by orange and blue swooshes. From cursed clown to problematic stereotype While not everyone's cup of tea, clowns are relatively harmless (unless you're one of the few people who suffer from coulrophobia, aka a fear of clowns).
However, Dairy Queen'.
