Ronald McDonald was first introduced as a McDonald’s advertising mascot in 1963.
The character appeared in a television commercial created for the Washington, D.C., market. Willard Scott played the first Ronald McDonald, wearing a costume assembled from McDonald’s-themed items, including a food-tray hat and a cup-like nose.
McDonald’s subsequently developed Ronald into a nationally recognized children’s character. His appearance changed over time, and the character became the central figure in McDonaldland advertising alongside characters such as the Hamburglar, Grimace, and Mayor McCheese.
Ronald McDonald is sometimes confused with Speedee, the mascot from the company’s earlier branding. Speedee represented rapid service in the late 1940s and 1950s, while Ronald was created for television advertising in the 1960s. The character’s introduction marked a shift toward family-oriented brand promotion.