Speedee was the McDonald's mascot used before Ronald McDonald.
Speedee first appeared in 1948, when Richard and Maurice McDonald reorganized their restaurant in San Bernardino, California, around a faster self-service format. The character was a smiling chef with a hamburger-shaped head, reflecting the company's emphasis on speedy service.
The name connected directly with McDonald's early slogan, “Speedee Service System.” That system helped establish the restaurant's identity before the Golden Arches became its dominant visual symbol. Speedee was gradually replaced as McDonald's advertising became more focused on family characters and a broader restaurant world.
Ronald McDonald emerged in the early 1960s and became the chain's best-known mascot. A common mix-up is assuming Ronald was McDonald's original mascot; Speedee predates him by more than a decade.