Rhode Island may ditch Mr. Potato Head license plates after Hasbro's move to Boston

PROVIDENCE, R.I. — It's been no small potatoes that Rhode Islanders have been able to choose the image of Mr. Potato Head as a specialty license plate for decades.

Yet with Hasbro's decision to move its headquarters from the smallest state in the U.S. to Boston, two lawmakers say it's time to hash out whether Rhode Island should continue promoting one of the company's most iconic characters.

Under the proposal introduced earlier this month, Rhode Island's Division of Motor Vehicles would stop providing Mr. Potato Head as an option for a specialty license plate. Currently, the plate costs around $40, with half of that amount going to help support the Rhode Island Community Food Bank.

Rep. Brian Newberry, a Republican from North Smithfield, said in an email that he filed the legislation because Hasbro's leaving the state will cause "untold economic harm and loss of tax revenue."

"There is no reason we should be advertising their products on our license plates," Newberry said. "It may seem trivial compared to many other things but it's a matter of self-respect."

Mr. Potato Head license plates were first issued in 2002 to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the beloved toy, which notably has appeared in the "Toy Story" films. The plates include a small image of Mr. Potato Head holding a sign of the Rhode Island Community Food Bank and "help end hunger" at the bottom of the plate.

"The license plate started at a time when Mr. Potato Head was all over the state and was having a moment," said Kate MacDonald, spokesperson for the food bank, which has received nearly $60,000 over the years due to the plate. "And while it has tapered off over the years, it's been a steady way for people to contribute."

An email was sent to Hasbro seeking comment.

Mr. Potato Head has been around since 1952. Yet the original toy didn't come with a plastic potato. Instead, kids had to supply their own vegetable to poke eyes, a nose or a mustache into.

Hasbro, which also makes Monopoly and My Little Pony, bought the brand and eventually added a plastic spud.

The toy company announced last year that it would move to Boston by the end of 2026, after operating in Pawtucket, Rhode Island, for nearly 70 years.