Angelo Man: a Papa Burger

Oceanside, California

There's no A&W Root Beer Drive-In in Oceanside, but their iconic big-headed dad character has been conscripted into the marketing ranks of Angelo's Burgers. The statue, known locally as "Angelo Man," is in fact an 8.5-foot-tall Papa Burger. Papa Burger is the biggest of the quartet of A&W chain fiberglass figures first created by International Fiberglass in 1963 and still found in combinations with Mom, Teen, and Baby Burger. This particular Papa Burger was purchased by Angelo's from an A&W in 1977, when A&W was retiring the Burger Family as its cartoon mascots. Papa appears well-kept, content with his double-decker cheeseburger and frothing mug of root beer. A 2017 makeover gave him a painted-on mustache, eyeglasses, and arm tattoo.