Hamburglar is the name of McDonald’s hamburger mascot introduced in 1971.
The character was created for McDonaldland, a fantasy advertising setting populated by personified food and restaurant figures. Hamburglar’s distinctive role was trying to steal hamburgers, making him a playful embodiment of a customer’s appetite rather than a spokesperson for the company.
His early appearance was more complex and mischievous than the later version most audiences remember. McDonald’s eventually simplified the character’s design, including his clothing and facial appearance, so he could function more clearly in television commercials and promotional material.
Hamburglar is often mixed up with Grimace, who was introduced around the same period and represented a different character concept. Mayor McCheese was another McDonaldland figure, but he was a political parody with a cheeseburger head, not the burger-stealing mascot.