Speedee was the mascot that represented McDonald's before Ronald McDonald became its best-known clown.
Speedee was drawn as a chef with a hamburger-shaped head and was used in McDonald's early branding. The character reflected the restaurant's original emphasis on speedy service, an idea central to the Speedee Service System developed by Richard and Maurice McDonald.
The McDonald brothers introduced Speedee after opening their redesigned San Bernardino restaurant in 1948. The mascot appeared on signs, packaging, and advertising before the Golden Arches and McDonaldland characters became more prominent.
Speedee is sometimes confused with Ronald McDonald because both are long-running McDonald's figures. Ronald was introduced in the 1960s for television advertising, while Speedee belongs to the company's earlier drive-in and self-service era.