The fictional advertising world created for Ronald McDonald and Grimace was McDonaldland.
McDonaldland appeared in McDonald’s commercials and promotional material as a colorful fantasy setting populated by characters linked to the restaurant’s products and brand. Ronald McDonald served as its central human-like figure, while Grimace, the Hamburglar, Mayor McCheese, and others gave the setting a continuing cast.
The concept helped McDonald’s turn individual advertisements into a recognizable shared universe. Children could identify recurring characters, locations, and conflicts even when the featured menu item changed from one commercial to another.
McDonaldland was an advertising creation, not an actual geographic place or an official company town. Its characters and settings changed over time, and many were used less frequently as McDonald’s advertising moved toward more direct product and brand messaging.