Mr. Glowbones Skull - Krystal Restaurant Halloween Promotional Mask (1973) - Glow in the Dark

In 1973, the Krystal hamburger chain (based in Chattanooga, Tennessee) ran a Halloween promotion that gave kids free glow-in-the-dark masks with their meals. Two characters were offered: Mr. Glowbones, a grinning skull, and Mr. Weirdwolf, a werewolf face.

These masks were printed on cardstock with fluorescent ink that glowed under blacklight or in the dark after exposure to bright light. Krystal encouraged kids to cut out and wear them, making them both a costume piece and an in-store promotional gimmick.

The promotion was highlighted in Krystal’s own employee newsletter The Krystal Gazer, which pitched the masks as a way to create a memorable Halloween tie-in and keep families coming back. Few of these fragile paper premiums survive today, especially intact and with their glow feature still visible.

Date: 1973
Issued by Krystal Hamburger chain restaurants
Glow-in-the-dark printing, classic skull design
Measures approx. 7" × 9.5"
Part of the Mr. Glowbones & Mr. Weirdwolf Halloween promotion

This is a quirky slice of 1970s fast-food and Halloween history—an ephemeral giveaway that’s now scarcer than many cereal box masks.