The Hamburglar was McDonald's advertising character who wore a striped burglar outfit and tried to steal hamburgers.
The character was part of McDonaldland, the fictional world used in McDonald's family advertising. His role created a recurring comic conflict: he wanted hamburgers, while the other characters tried to stop or catch him.
The Hamburglar's costume and design changed over time. Early versions looked more like a small, mischievous adult burglar, while later versions were redesigned with a more childlike appearance. Despite those changes, hamburger theft remained the central joke of the character.
He is often confused with Mayor McCheese or Grimace because all appeared in the same advertising universe. The striped burglar clothing and hamburger-themed name provide the clearest identification.