McDonald’s introduced Mayor McCheese in 1971.
Mayor McCheese was one of the characters created for McDonaldland, an advertising world populated by humanlike and food-themed figures. He was portrayed as the mayor of the fictional community and had a cheeseburger for a head.
The character helped McDonald’s build a connected cast rather than relying only on a single mascot. His exaggerated design made the brand’s food imagery immediately visible to children watching television commercials.
Mayor McCheese is sometimes confused with the Hamburglar or Ronald McDonald because all appeared in McDonaldland campaigns. His mayoral role and cheeseburger head, however, made him distinct within the group.