Quiznos former mascot is known as "The Quiznos Sub" or simply "The Quiznos Toasty Guy". The mascot was introduced in the early 2000s to promote the popular sandwich chain, Quiznos. The character became well-known for its unique appearance and catchy jingle. The Quiznos Sub mascot was a strange-looking creature that resembled a rat or a hamster. It had large eyes, buck teeth, and a long, wiry mustache. The mascot was often shown wearing a chef's hat and apron, which added to its quirky and distinctive image.
Quiznos’ off-key Spongmonkeys are back
The mascot was often shown wearing a chef's hat and apron, which added to its quirky and distinctive image. The Quiznos Sub mascot played a prominent role in the chain's advertisements. It would often sing about Quiznos sandwiches being "toasty" and "hearty", while dancing and preparing sandwiches in a cartoonish way.
Quiznos is mounting a comeback, and it’s bringing its infamous off-key rodents.
Juliet Bennett Rylah July 24, 2023In a single week of 2004, Quiznos received 30k complaints. They had nothing to do with the chain’s subs, but a bizarre ad campaign featuring two rodents — known as Spongmonkeys — belting an off-key song.
If you somehow missed it, here ya go. If it still haunts you, guess what? They’re back, baby.
Jimmy Lambatos…
… founded Quiznos in Denver in 1981, touting the fact that, unlike other sandwich shops, it toasted its subs. Lambatos sold Quiznos to father-and-son franchisees Richard and Rick Schaden in 1991, who took the company public in 1994.
Quiznos grew rapidly, at one point becoming the second-largest sub chain in North America behind Subway, with 5k+ locations by 2007.
But it wouldn’t last
Several misfortunes and bad decisions occurred:
- Competitor Subway started toasting its subs
- The Great Recession led to numerous store closures
- Quiznos settled with several franchisees who sued over being forced to purchase food and paper goods from a subsidiary at above-market prices
Quiznos filed for bankruptcy in 2014, and fewer than 200 remain today.
In 2018…
… private equity firm High Bluff Capital bought Quiznos and placed it under the care of its restaurant platform, REGO Restaurant Group.
REGO is mounting a comeback with a new look, menu items, and drive-thrus.
Which is why the Spongmonkeys are back
In the early-aughts, Quiznos wanted to make a splashy ad with a small budget.
According to Mel Magazine, Ty Harper of ad agency The Martin Agency recalled a video by animator Joel Veitch that featured the “spongmonkeys” singing about the moon. Harper pitched it for subs.
- Quiznos put out a lot of weird ads — a man suckling a wolf, a suggestive toaster — but none was so polarizing and enduring as 2004’s Spongmonkeys.
So, naturally, Quiznos hired Veitch to make a brand-new commercial for its attempted comeback.
This one features the Spongmonkeys on a road trip to find the nation’s remaining Quiznos as the company attempts to court new franchisees, and rebuild its empire one toasted cheesesteak and fever-dream folk song at a time.
The mascot's jingle, which included the lyrics "We love the subs, 'cause they are good to us, the Quiznos subs," became quite popular and was frequently stuck in people's heads. While the Quiznos Sub mascot gained significant attention and became somewhat of a pop culture icon, it also attracted some criticism and controversy. Some people found the character to be creepy or off-putting, while others thought it was simply odd. Despite this mixed reception, the mascot remained a recognizable symbol of the Quiznos brand for several years. In recent years, Quiznos has moved away from using the Quiznos Sub mascot in its advertising campaigns. The chain has opted for a more traditional approach focusing on the quality and taste of its sandwiches. However, the Quiznos Sub mascot continues to hold a place in the memories of those who remember it and remains an interesting and memorable part of Quiznos' history..
Reviews for "Quiznos former mascot vs. the Competition: How These Characters Stood Out in the Fast Food Industry"
- Lisa - 2 stars - I've always found the former Quiznos mascot to be extremely creepy and off-putting. The strange-looking creature with its bulging eyes and weird smile just gave me the creeps. It certainly did not make me want to visit Quiznos or try their food. In fact, it actually made me avoid the restaurant altogether. I believe the mascot was a poor choice and did more harm than good for the brand.
- John - 1 star - The former Quiznos mascot was a disaster in my opinion. It was bizarre and completely unappealing. Seeing that weird creature dancing and singing in their ads was a big turn-off for me. It made me question the credibility of the brand and I couldn't take it seriously. I certainly didn't find it funny or entertaining. Honestly, I think Quiznos made a huge mistake by choosing such a strange and unrelatable mascot.
- Sarah - 2 stars - The former Quiznos mascot was just plain annoying. Its high-pitched voice and obnoxious behavior made me cringe every time I saw it on TV. I understand that mascots are meant to be memorable, but this one was just over the top. It didn't make me want to buy their sandwiches or visit their stores. Instead, it made me actively dislike the brand. I'm glad they moved on from that mascot and I hope they choose something more appealing in the future.
- Mike - 1 star - What were they thinking with that former Quiznos mascot? It was absolutely terrifying. I couldn't understand why they would choose such a creepy and unsettling character to represent their brand. It made me think there was something wrong with the food or the company itself. I refused to eat at Quiznos solely based on that mascot. I'm glad they got rid of it, but the damage was already done in terms of my perception of the brand.