McDonald's early chef-hat mascot was named Speedee.
Speedee appeared in McDonald's branding during the 1940s and 1950s, representing the restaurant's emphasis on quick service. The character was a smiling chef with a hamburger-shaped head and was often shown running.
The name connected directly with the company's original service promise. McDonald's founders Richard and Maurice McDonald developed the Speedee Service System in 1948, streamlining food preparation and order fulfillment at their San Bernardino, California, restaurant.
Speedee is sometimes confused with later McDonald's characters. Ronald McDonald became the company's best-known mascot in the 1960s, while the Hamburglar and Mayor McCheese arrived later as members of the advertising world known as McDonaldland. Speedee belongs to the earlier phase of the brand, before the Golden Arches became its dominant visual symbol.