Speedee was McDonald's 1950s mascot, depicted as a smiling chef associated with fast service.
The character represented the McDonald brothers' Speedee Service System, which they introduced after redesigning their San Bernardino restaurant in 1948. That system emphasized a limited menu, standardized preparation, and quick counter service. Speedee's chef identity made the mascot a visual shorthand for the restaurant's promise of speed.
Speedee is frequently confused with later McDonald's characters, especially Ronald McDonald. Ronald became the company's best-known mascot after his introduction in 1963, while the Hamburglar and Grimace appeared later as members of the McDonaldland cast.
The Speedee character was eventually replaced in prominence by the Golden Arches. Its importance, however, survives in the name of the service system that helped define the early McDonald's brand and influenced the modern fast-food model.