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Jack In The Box

Image: Studbee

And speaking of outer space… Before Mark Hamill became Luke Skywalker in Star Wars, he once worked the drive-thru at Jack in the Box. He was quickly fired, though. Customers complained after he spoke to them using a clown-like voice.

Decades later, in 2022, Hamill reunited with the brand in a comeback ad promoting two revived fan favorites: Spicy Chicken Strips and French Toast Sticks.

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Taco Bell

Image: PJ Gal-Szabo

The company has pulled off some interesting marketing pranks over the years, but none as unforgettable as its 1996 April Fool’s joke announcing that it had purchased the Liberty Bell.

A full-page ad ran in major newspapers announcing the purchase of the historic bell to help reduce the national debt. The "Taco Liberty Bell" joke did not land well. It caused thousands of complaints; people contacted Taco Bell and the National Park Service demanding answers. Later that day, the company confirmed the story was a hoax, and the stunt went down as one of the most memorable marketing pranks of all time.

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Domino’s Pizza

Image: Erick Galván

Back in the ’80s, when Domino’s expanded into Japan, the company ran into a problem: there was no Japanese word for "pepperoni." And, since it was the best-selling topping in the US, they could not risk leaving that pizza out of the menu! So, the brand had to coin a Japanese word for pepperoni. They went for ペパロニ (pronounced "peparoni").

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Pizza Hut

Image: Joshua Hoehne

Pizza Hut has always been known for some memorable marketing stunts. When Back to the Future Part II hit theaters in 1989, the chain handed out "futuristic" sunglasses with every pie. In 1995, they recruited Donald Trump and Ivana Trump to introduce their first stuffed-crust pizza.

And who could forget the time, in 2001, when they delivered the first pizza ever sent into space, straight to the International Space Station (ISS)?

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Starbucks

Image: Gema Saputera

Starbucks is such an iconic franchise that its presence can signal rising real-estate values. Studies show that neighborhoods with a new Starbucks often experience property-price increases above the usual rate.

Another interesting tidbit about the brand: inside its stores, employees are required to avoid wearing perfume, cologne, or other strong fragrances to prevent interfering with the aroma and taste of the coffee.

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Coca-Cola

Image: Samuel Bryngelsson

From 1886 until 1959 (over seventy years!), a 6.5-oz glass or bottle of Coca-Cola cost exactly 5 cents. The company had strategic reasons for keeping the price so low and stable.

At the time, it was easier to get customers to insert a single nickel into vending machines rather than require multiple coins. The 5-cent price helped make Coca-Cola a simple, affordable choice.

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McDonald’s

Image: Brett Jordan

The Golden Arches giant has had a long, sometimes on-, sometimes off-, relationship with Disney. McDonald’s began doing Happy Meal tie-ins with Disney characters in 1987 to promote Disney films.

For about ten years, the partnership was exclusive, but it fell off because Disney wanted to work with other food brands, and McDonald’s with other movie studios! Today, they still share a non-exclusive alliance.

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Wendy’s

Image: Brian J. Tromp

Wendy’s square hamburger patties weren’t an accident; the idea reportedly came from a chain called Kewpee Hamburgers, a Kalamazoo favorite known for its square-shaped burgers. Founder Dave Thomas has said that as a child, he often ate at a Kewpee, and that those square patties inspired the look and feel of Wendy’s burgers.

Thomas had always loved those because corners poking out of the bun created the impression of a larger burger and made the meat easier to see.

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KFC

Image: Aleks Dorohovich

KFC’s legendary "11 herbs & spices" recipe is kept under tight lock and key; the company splits the production of the spice mix between different suppliers so that no single person outside knows the full formula.

However, there was a time when Colonel Sanders offered that recipe at a very affordable price: he would license the recipe to restaurant owners for just 4 to 5 cents per chicken piece sold, giving them the right to cook and sell his secret-recipe chicken themselves.

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Betty Crocker

Image: Lalada .

Betty Crocker was never a real person. Did you know? She was invented in 1921 by the Washburn-Crosby Company as a friendly, approachable name to respond to consumer letters.

Even though she was fictional, by 1945, Fortune magazine named "Betty Crocker" the second most famous woman in America, second only to Eleanor Roosevelt.

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M&M

Image: Pixabay

There’s a long-standing debate about America’s favorite chocolate nuggets: Do different colors of M&M’s actually taste different? While many fans swear their favorite color has a distinct flavor, the brand consistently states that the only difference between colors is their dye; all other ingredients remain the same.

That said, some people claim that mini M&M’s taste sweeter than the regular ones. Some analyses suggest that mini M&M’s have a higher candy-shell-to-chocolate ratio, which could make them taste sweeter.

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Heinz

Image: JEFERSON GOMES

Though ketchup is by far Heinz's flagship product, that was not the first one Henry J. Heinz sold. You probably could never guess what it was that he personally started selling back in 1869!

Horseradish! The first thing he ever sold, out of his house, under his name, was horseradish and other pickled goods like vinegar, sauerkraut, and pickles. This early business laid the groundwork for the now-famous condiments empire.

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Extreme ironing

Image: Eric Vö

There is nothing extreme about ironing if you do it the usual way. But what if you were to iron your shirts atop a mountain peak ? Believe it or not, ironing clothes in extreme environments is a thing. There is even a world record for the most outrageous example of extreme ironing, which was set 200 feet underwater in 2011.

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Worm charming

Image: sippakorn yamkasikorn

Worms are not the first creatures that come to mind when one thinks of interactive animals. However, they do respond to certain stimuli, especially vibrations on the ground and sound.

A small but dedicated group of people devote themselves to the odd hobby of worm charming, attracting worms from the ground using vibrations, sound, and other ingenious methods . This unusual activity requires patience and a gentle touch, but for its followers, it is very rewarding.

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Toy voyaging

Image: Barrett Ward

Whoever saw the early 2000s movie Amélie will recognize this one. Some people have small toys that accompany them on vacations and appear in photos at famous landmarks , which are then uploaded to their Instagram and Facebook accounts.

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Soap carving

Image: Aurélia Dubois

As it turns out, soap can be used for more than just washing and bathing. Yes, a particularly fragrant soap placed in your sock drawer will add a pleasant scent each time you open it. But this is something entirely different. Some people carve soap bars into intricate sculptures , using small knives or other fitting instruments.

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Human knotting

Image: engin akyurt

A hobby can also be a group activity. In some parts of the world, groups of people engage in the challenging task of tying themselves into a human knot , and then work together to find creative solutions and untangle the puzzle without letting go . It's like Twister, but without the board underneath.

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Geocaching

Image: Jamie Street

A sort of digitally-aided treasure hunt, geocaching is a fun hobby that requires a hand-held GPS receiver or a phone app to guide participants to a destination where a hidden container is stored . Once found, the participant logs their visit in an included logbook and can also trade one of the many small items inside the container for one of their own. Sounds like fun, right?

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Trainspotting

Image: Silver Ringvee

Other than being a movie and a book, trainspotting is also a hobby where enthusiasts, you guessed it, spot trains. Train spotters often watch trains and track the number of each engine , as well as share information about the whereabouts of the trains, technical data, and specific characteristics.

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Duck herding

Image: Vlad Tchompalov

Most people have heard of sheep herding, but what about duck herding? This hobby is performed as a team effort with trained sheepdogs who know how to maneuver a group of geese or ducks back into their pen . This unusual activity is suitable for all ages and fitness levels, making it a great team-building exercise for corporate groups.

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Historical cooking

Image: Alyson McPhee

Several YouTube channels feature expert and amateur chefs cooking historical recipes and then tasting the results. This fun activity involves trying out recipes from the past , some dating back centuries, as far back as recipes can be found, and appreciating flavors that are not around anymore.

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Ghost hunting

Image: Jesse Bowser

As the name suggests, ghost hunting is a hobby that involves investigating and documenting paranormal activity in order to capture evidence of ghostly sightings or encounters . This activity does not require participants to believe in the existence of ghosts, but rather to enjoy the thrill of visiting eerie places filled with spooky stories.

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Mobile phone throwing

Image: Vojtech Bruzek

If you've ever felt the urge to throw your mobile phone in frustration over a situation, this hobby might be for you. Mobile phone throwing is a competitive sport in which contestants throw phones and are judged based on their technique and the distance covered. This hobby originated in Finnish culture, and it was started by Nokia, known for its reputation as an unbreakable "brick" that supposedly outlasts all our smartphones.

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Painting memes

Image: Crystal Mapes

Memes are, by nature, ephemeral creations, meant to last for a while before fading into obscurity. However, some kind souls have taken up meme painting as a hobby, giving these digital images a more elevated existence as works of art .

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We Didn’t Start the Fire

Image: Dane Deaner

Although Billy Joel is one of America’s favorite songwriters, he is often very vocal about pointing out the flaws he finds in his early hits. He even found fault with the timeless " Piano Man, " which earned him his nickname, due to a melody he finds repetitive and lyrics he compares to limericks.

He assures that he doesn’t hold grudges against his own songs, but he did point out that he thought the melody of "We Didn’t Start the Fire" was "terrible" and compared it to a dentist’s drill . He says the only redeeming quality of that song is the lyrics—those famous rapid-fire lists of historical events from the ‘40s to the ‘80s.

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Shiny Happy People

Image: Nathan Dumlao

R.E.M. created "Shiny Happy People" with a satirically overly positive tone . It was a hit back in the ‘90s upon its release, but it always remained a bit of an oddball in the band’s otherwise more introspective and serious records.

The cheerful tune has been quoted endlessly in movies and TV shows. Even the sitcom Friends considered making it its theme song! But singer Michael Stipe expressed little love for what he called "a bubblegum pop song." Stipe went as far as to say that he "hates" the song and sees it as a fluke rather than a reflection of the band’s work. Although other members are less critical, the consensus is that "Shiny Happy People" is not R.E.M.’s proudest achievement.

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Smells Like Teen Spirit

Image: Firmbee.com

Nirvana’s breakthrough hit, "Smells Like Teen Spirit," is often credited with launching the grunge movement and bringing alternative rock into the mainstream. The song's catchy riff and cryptic lyrics became an anthem of frustration and angst in the youth of the ‘90s. But Kurt Cobain, Nirvana's frontman, quickly grew to resent the famous song.

In a 1993 interview, staying true to his grunge persona, Cobain declared: "I can barely, especially on a bad night, get through ‘Teen Spirit.’ I literally want to throw my guitar down and walk away." He said he felt the song was too "mainstream" and polished, and nothing like the gritty authenticity he had envisioned for Nirvana—something that shone through in the band’s less popular work.

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What’s Love Got to Do with It

Image: Pixabay

"What’s Love Got to Do with It" was first offered to Donna Summer, but it was Tina Turner who made history with it in the ‘80s. Initially, though, she thought it wasn’t the right track for her. She once confessed: "I didn’t like it at first. It was a pop song. I’m a rock ’n’ roll singer. "

However, her manager convinced her to record it. Her reluctance was such that she only did a few takes of it, convinced it would be a filler track in her album. We now know how wrong she was. The hit ended up redefining her career, so successful that it inspired the title of her 1993 biographical film, starring Angela Bassett as her.

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(You Gotta) Fight for Your Right (to Party!)

Image: Colourblind Kevin

You would think that the satirical tone of this song would be obvious. It’s not hard to tell that the flatly yelled-out lyrics about hard-partying youth were poking fun at the frat culture of the time. But the joke went over many people’s heads, and it became an anthem of sorts for the culture it meant to make fun of.

This irritated the Beastie Boys, particularly because the song became their breakout hit. Band member Adam Yauch explained that the whole song was "a joke that got out of hand." They felt the song misrepresented their style, which is why they avoided playing it live in later years.

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Strangers in the Night

Image: Ethan Rougon

Frank Sinatra did not shy away from expressing his distaste for one of his biggest hits. He disliked "Strangers in the Night" from the start, explaining to the writer that he didn’t like the lyrics and requesting that they be changed. But the process was rushed, and he had to record the version as it was. It became an instant award-winning, chart-topping hit.

Still, the singer despised it. He reportedly muttered disparaging comments about it during live performances. People speculated that his famous addition of the scat "doo-be-doo-be-doo" was a spontaneous attempt to add some grace to a song he was so tired of.

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Dream On

Image: Rombo

"Dream On" was a major hit for Aerosmith and helped the band’s career skyrocket in the ‘70s. It was written by lead singer Steven Tyler long before Aerosmith had formed or signed any record deal: He was 18 years old when he finished writing it. But years later, after the band recorded it, guitarist Joe Perry, in his words, "wasn’t crazy about it" for a long time.

He mentioned in interviews that the song was too soft and slow compared to the rock music he wanted to be playing. He admitted that he would have preferred that the band triumph with a more hard-core rock song, but wasn’t too sad about it, because, as he said, "a hit is a hit."

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Under the Bridge

Image: Roberto Nickson

"Under the Bridge" is a soft, personal song that stands out in the repertoire of Red Hot Chili Peppers. According to the legend, the album’s producer discovered lead singer Anthony Kiedis’ poem about walking around L.A. when he was feeling down. The producer insisted that the lyrics were worthy of a song, and soon the whole band helped finish arranging it.

But Kiedis wasn’t so excited about sharing such an introspective song. In his memoir book, he shared that sharing such an intimate, contemplative song made him feel vulnerable, and felt it was too personal to perform on stage. This caused the band some trouble over the years, as fans always had something to say when the band skipped the song during performances.

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Where Did Our Love Go

Image: Angelina Yan

Before "Where Did Our Love Go" was released, The Supremes were struggling to break into the mainstream. Their label had started referring to them as the "no-hit Supremes." To make matters worse, the trio didn’t like this particular low-energy song and thought nothing would come of it. But the relatable lyrics, amped by Diana Ross's lead vocals, transformed the song into a No. 1 hit on the Billboard Hot 100.

Before this, the group was used to performing upbeat, high-energy songs, like "Buttered Popcorn" or "I Want a Guy." In comparison, their first hit had a subdued tempo and a different identity. But, as producers had expected, the song worked. The Supremes went on to become the best-charting female group in history!

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Sweet Child O’ Mine

Image: Jay Wennington

"Sweet Child O’ Mine" was written by Guns N’ Roses' lead vocalist Axl Rose about his then-girlfriend Erin Everly. The song was originally created from a simple guitar riff by Slash, which he had come up with during a jam session. It went on to become a No. 1 hit on the Billboard Hot 100.

But guitarist Slash was never a huge fan of the song. He admitted that his famous riff was okay, but that the whole song felt like it belonged to another band’s style, not theirs. Of course, the general audience loved it and it became a huge hit compared to their hard rock songs. Over time, though, Slash grew to love it because of the immense impact it had on Guns N’ Roses’ career.