Mascots and food have a long history together. In fact, way back in 1877, Quaker introduced the first trademarked cereal mascot, its famed, if rather plain, Quaker man, nicknamed “Larry” by the company. Since then, it’s become de rigueur for food companies, fast food chains, and even casual restaurants to create a mascot. Attaching a name, face, and in some cases, a backstory, to a product or brand can help sell it. Some of these mascots have managed to weather time and changing fashions, like the aforementioned Larry, while others haven’t fared so well – like the Noid from Domino’s Pizza or Arby’s Oven Mitt.
Then there are the mascots who are still around but for whatever reason have never made that big of an impression on the public. In the case of Texas Roadhouse, the Lone Star state-themed casual dining chain, you might be surprised to hear the brand even has a mascot in the first place. Certainly, its mascot has never managed to tap into popular culture quite like other famed mascots like Ronald McDonald or the Pillsbury Dough Boy. With that said, Andy Armadillo (sometimes written Andy the Armadillo) has existed since 1993 — the same year Texas Roadhouse opened its first restaurant.
Andy Armadillo is more than 30 years old
The late Kent Taylor dreamed up the idea for Texas Roadhouse, sketching out the restaurant’s design on a cocktail napkin. Taylor eventually received financial backing from three Kentucky doctors and opened the first Texas Roadhouse in Clarksville, Indiana, in 1993 — with Andy the Armadillo very much a part of the restaurant since its opening. Despite Andy being over 30 years old, you might wonder why the mascot has remained a obscure. While a life-sized Andy Armadillo is likely to greet you when you go into any of Texas Roadhouse’s 655 locations, the brand ultimately went with Country music legend Willie Nelson for much of its television promotions and commercials — rather than using its mascot. Nelson, a poker buddy of Taylor’s, even has a section of each restaurant dedicated to him.
With that said, Andy has not remained completely anonymous. When Taylor rang the bell at The Nasdaq Stock Exchange in October 2004, Andy was there by his side. For a far less-loved Texas Roadhouse mascot, you should look to the brand’s underused Iggy the Iguana.
