There’s nothing like that feeling of getting a toy car in a McDonald’s Happy Meal when you’re a kid, but one driver in the US has decided to take it to another level.
A TikTok video has gone viral online after one motorist was spotted driving a car in the shape of a Ronald McDonald boot in Houston, Texas.
The video has been viewed more than a million times on the social media platform, with various commenters shocked at the sight of the rare collectible.
“I love people who are different and don’t care,” one user stated, while another remarked, “Not the McShoe”.
Even Eggo, a famous frozen waffle company in the US, decided to chime in on the fun saying, “Just found Ronald’s missing shoe”.
While the absurdity of the shoe car could be inspired by the driver's creativity and affection for the fast food chain, it was actually commissioned by McDonald's at its Houston location in 2002.
According to Houston McDonald’s Facebook post, the then owners of the location decided to create something “truly one-of-a-kind to make a fun statement at events all over H-Town and the only street-legal shoe car was born”.
The one-of-one vehicle has featured in several community-based ceremonies over the years, such as grand openings, parades and charity events.
Built by Houston artist Jason Barnett, the car was based on a stripped-down 2003 Chevrolet Silverado ute. According to Bennett, nostalgia was the main inspiration for the car.
“The idea when I started this was if I built this thing to look vintage and nostalgic already, then we don’t have to worry about it going out of style,” he said.
“All my neighbours would come by and laugh, thinking I was completely out of my mind converting this thing into a shoe.”
It's unclear if the owner decided to sell the vehicle to the driver spotted in the TikTok video, but one thing's for certain, you can't keep your eyes off it.
Ethan Cardinal graduated with a Journalism degree in 2020 from La Trobe University and has been working in the fashion industry as a freelance writer prior to joining Drive in 2023. Ethan greatly enjoys investigating and reporting on the cross sections between automotive, lifestyle and culture. Ethan relishes the opportunity to explore how deep cars are intertwined within different industries and how they could affect both casual readers and car enthusiasts.
