The Hamburglar was the McDonaldland advertising character known for stealing hamburgers.
He was one of the best-known characters in McDonald’s child-focused branding. Earlier versions were presented as a small, somewhat sinister-looking hamburger thief. In later redesigns, the character became shorter, younger-looking, and more cartoon-like while retaining the signature striped clothing and fixation on hamburgers.
The Hamburglar appeared alongside Ronald McDonald and other McDonaldland figures in television commercials and promotional materials. His repeated attempts to take hamburgers created a simple comic conflict that children could recognize immediately.
The character is sometimes confused with Captain Crook, another McDonaldland figure associated with stealing food. Captain Crook was linked specifically with Filet-O-Fish sandwiches, while the Hamburglar’s defining target was hamburgers. That distinction makes the Hamburglar the canonical answer to this branding question.