What name did McDonald's use for its first mascot?

McDonald's first mascot was Speedee, a chef-like character used in the restaurant chain's early branding.

Speedee appeared in McDonald's advertising and signage during the late 1940s and 1950s. The character represented the restaurant's emphasis on quick service, reflected in the name “Speedee Service System.”

Speedee is often confused with later McDonald's characters such as Ronald McDonald, the Hamburglar, and Mayor McCheese. Those figures belonged to the expanded McDonaldland advertising world that became prominent in the 1960s and afterward.

The Speedee character was eventually replaced as McDonald's primary mascot by Ronald McDonald. Even so, Speedee is important in branding history because the character connected the company's identity directly to its original selling promise: fast, standardized service.