McDonald's first mascot was Speedee, introduced in 1948 to represent the restaurant's original service system.
Speedee was a chef-like character whose name referred to the McDonald brothers' emphasis on fast food preparation. The character appeared in early McDonald's signs and promotional material before the Golden Arches became the company's dominant visual symbol.
Speedee is sometimes confused with Ronald McDonald, who arrived in the 1960s and became the chain's best-known mascot. Speedee belonged to an earlier stage of McDonald's history, when the brand focused on the Speedee Service System and a limited menu.
The McDonald brothers developed that system in San Bernardino, California, after reorganizing their restaurant in 1948. Ray Kroc later expanded the business nationally, while the branding gradually shifted toward the arches and a larger cast of characters.