McDonald's first mascot was Speedee, introduced in 1948 as a hamburger-selling chef.
Speedee represented the original McDonald's Speedee Service System, the fast-food production method developed by Richard and Maurice McDonald at their San Bernardino, California, restaurant. The character was drawn as a chef with a hamburger-shaped head and a bow tie.
Speedee appeared in early McDonald's signs and promotional material before the company adopted Ronald McDonald and the wider McDonaldland cast. The name reflected the restaurant's emphasis on rapid service rather than a menu item.
A common mix-up is confusing Speedee with the later Golden Arches or with the Hamburglar. Speedee was an early brand symbol; the Hamburglar was a later McDonaldland advertising character associated with stealing hamburgers.