Ronald McDonald became McDonald's primary mascot in the 1960s.
The clown character was created to make the restaurant especially appealing to children and families. His name linked him directly to McDonald's, while his bright costume and friendly presentation made him easy to recognize in television commercials and public appearances.
Ronald was not the company's first mascot; Speedee represented the earlier fast-service era. McDonald's later expanded its fictional cast with characters such as the Hamburglar, Grimace, Mayor McCheese, and Captain Crook.
Those characters belonged to the broader McDonaldland setting, but Ronald remained the central human mascot. This distinction separates the chain's principal spokesman from its supporting characters.