McDonald's early mascot, introduced in 1948, was named Speedee.
Speedee was drawn as a smiling chef with a hamburger-shaped head. The character represented the restaurant's emphasis on fast service and was paired with the slogan “Speedee Service System.” That operating idea had been developed by Richard and Maurice McDonald at their San Bernardino, California, restaurant.
Speedee predates Ronald McDonald by more than a decade. The character is sometimes confused with later McDonald's advertising figures, especially the Hamburglar and Mayor McCheese, but Speedee was the chain's original major mascot.
As McDonald's branding changed, the Golden Arches became more recognizable than Speedee. Ronald McDonald was introduced nationally in the early 1960s, and Speedee gradually disappeared from mainstream advertising. His imagery remains an important link to the company's 1940s fast-service origins.