Mac Tonight was McDonald's moon-themed advertising character in campaigns that began in 1986.
The character was a personified crescent moon wearing sunglasses and a tuxedo. Mac Tonight promoted McDonald's evening business, especially the idea of visiting the restaurant for dinner rather than only for daytime meals. The advertisements used a lounge-style performance of 'Mack the Knife,' giving the campaign a deliberately distinctive musical identity.
Mac Tonight became particularly associated with restaurants in the United States during the second half of the 1980s. The character stood apart from McDonaldland's child-focused cast because the campaign targeted adults and emphasized nighttime dining.
A frequent mistake is assuming the character was named after the song. The name was a pun on 'Mack the Knife' and the phrase 'Mac tonight,' combining McDonald's branding with the campaign's evening theme. Mac Tonight was an advertising character, not a permanent restaurant mascot like Ronald McDonald.