McDonald's original chef mascot, introduced in 1948, was named Speedee.
Speedee was a smiling chef whose head appeared on early McDonald's signs and promotional materials. The character represented the restaurant's emphasis on fast service, a central part of the McDonald brothers' Speedee Service System.
The name is sometimes confused with Speedy, but McDonald's used the spelling Speedee. The mascot was also connected to the company's early logo, which featured a chef figure before the Golden Arches became dominant.
Speedee gradually disappeared from McDonald's branding after the arches gained prominence. Ronald McDonald later became the chain's best-known character, but Speedee remains important because he reflects the restaurant's original identity: quick, standardized hamburgers served in a streamlined system.