20 Highlights and Lowlights from April Fools’ Day

It can be risky for businesses to partake in April Fools’ Day shenanigans . . . because while some people like to have fun with it, a lot of people do NOT like being pranked.

Here are 20 instances where companies WENT FOR IT . . . for better or worse:

1.  In Australia, McDonald’s teased a new sandwich called the “McFry” . . . a Quarter Pounder with French fries stuffed inside.  And people were so excited that they were disappointed that this WASN’T a real thing.

And in the U.K., McDonald’s hyped “McNugget boots.”

2.  Tinder claimed they were banning photos of singles . . . holding FISH . . . making Tinder the first dating app in history to be “fish free.”

3.  The Columbus, Ohio public library claimed they were debuting “a large boat filled with books that goes up and down the river.”

4.  Stouffer’s announced that they’d now be calling their chicken enchiladas “ladas” in an attempt to attract more Gen Z customers.  And the brand itself was going to be called “Stouff’s” . . . to save you even more time.

5.  Glenlivet said they were debuting a new “boxed whiskey,” as a play on (terrible) boxed wine.

(They even made an ad for it.)

6.  Subaru said that they were entering the granola business, with “Subaru Forager Granola” . . . described as, “The closest thing you’ll find to eating compost for breakfast.

7.  The Chicago Botanic Garden claimed they were installing a “smart garden” with “emergent plants.”

8.  The GasBuddy app joked that they were coming out with a new signature fragrance called “Pump #5.”

9.  This one is straight out of that Xzibit show “Pimp My Ride”:  Fiat USA said they’d be selling cars with a pasta makerinstalled in the console.  (???)

10.  Panera Bread tried to convince (very gullible people) people that they’d be releasing a “Breadbowl Hot Tub.”

That wasn’t the only silly product “unveiled” . . .

11.  You can’t buy bad seatmate plane insurance.

12.  You can’t buy car seat covers laced with caffeine.

13.  You can’t buy an 18.7 pound solid-steel coffee mug.

14.  You can’t buy square doughnut holes from Tim Hortons.

15.  You can’t lick a package of frozen broccoli florets to taste before you buy.

16.  You can’t buy a shirt with a special pocket for pizza slices.

17.  You can’t buy Peet’s Coffee perfume . . . or carrot and parsnip perfume . . . or Gibson guitar cologne . . . or a Spam candle.

18.  The Eiffel Tower is not installing the world’s tallest slide.

19.  Emory University claimed it was launching a new degree:  A Bachelor of Science in Mascot Arts.  (Here’s a video about that.)  And England’s University of Gloucestershire is not offering a degree in “cheese rolling and exercise sciences.”

20.  And just in case you were fooled by this one . . . there are no GIANT SQUIRRELS in Zion National Park.  Also, the National Park Service did not regenerate the cherry tree George Washington cut down.  You know, the one he didn’t actually cut down.