Ronald McDonald's Shoes Are Clownishly Large

You've probably heard of "clown feet," so it's no surprise that one famous clown — Ronald McDonald — wears some particularly massive shoes. Called "the world's newest, silliest, hamburger-eating-est clown" in the 1963 McDonald's commercial that first introduced him, Ronald has remained steadfast in his hamburger-fueled mission for the past 60 years. In that time, many McDonald's mascots have come and gone, from Captain Crook to the Fry Kids. But like a circus-bound anchor keeping us all affixed to the nostalgia of our first Happy Meal toy or that irreplaceable taste of a flimsy fry, Ronald McDonald is the famous fast-food chain's persisting mascot. In fact, he might be the most famous mascot ever. 

Most of us are so used to Ronald's familiar face and iconic ensemble that we've likely never really questioned it. We don't question why he wears a candy cane-like shirt and pants under his yellow jumpsuit or why he's a clown. And considering what we've accepted, we've almost surely never questioned his shoe size. Luckily, McDonald's went ahead and announced it before anyone ever asked. In 2017, the Facebook page for McDonald's Las Vegas posted an image of Ronald McDonald's shoes with a rather surprising caption. "Did you know Ronald McDonald's shoe size is 29EEE?" it read, adding, "Or as Ronald likes to say, 'extra long x extra wide x extra red!'" Interestingly, a tweet courtesy of Mental Floss made the same statement back in 2012.

From his head down to his huge shoes, Ronald McDonald's costume is recognizable anywhere. But it hasn't always been exactly the same, though many may not have noticed when it underwent changes. In 2014, the famous clown got a bit of a makeover "to be modern and relevant," per Eater. Of course, not just anyone could be in charge of Ronald McDonald's makeover, so McDonald's gave the gig to Ann Hould-Ward, a Tony Award-winning costume designer. Hould-Ward called the design "one of the highlights of my career." 

The new fit included a rugby shirt in his classic red and white striped print, yellow cargo pants, and what the press release referred to as a "whimsical new red blazer." He also got a separate formal ensemble including a bowtie for more upscale occasions. Still, no matter what Ronald has worn over the years, he's always had those very big shoes to fill — size 29EEE, to be exact.