McDonald’s named its black-and-white striped advertising character the Hamburglar.
The Hamburglar was introduced as part of the McDonaldland cast and was portrayed as a mischievous character who tried to steal hamburgers. His costume, striped clothing, cape, and distinctive speech made him visually different from the other characters used in McDonald’s advertising.
The character’s design changed over time. Early versions were more sinister-looking, while later advertising presented a smaller, child-friendly figure. This redesign reflected changes in children’s marketing and in the overall tone of McDonaldland commercials. The Hamburglar remained associated with hamburgers even as his appearance evolved.
The Hamburglar is often confused with other McDonaldland characters. Grimace was the large purple character, Birdie represented breakfast foods, and Captain Crook was associated with Filet-O-Fish promotions. The Hamburglar’s defining branding role was his comic fixation on taking hamburgers.