McDonald's first official logo, introduced in 1948, featured the mascot Speedee.
Speedee was drawn as a chef-like hamburger character and represented the McDonald brothers' “Speedee Service System,” which emphasized quick, standardized food preparation. The name reflected the restaurant's central selling point: speed.
Speedee predates Ronald McDonald and the later Golden Arches as major elements of the company's public identity. The character was eventually replaced in the early 1960s as McDonald's advertising shifted toward Ronald and the McDonaldland characters.
A common mix-up is identifying Speedee as a later mascot. In fact, Speedee belongs to McDonald's earliest branding period, before the familiar clown character became the chain's dominant advertising figure.