Speedee was McDonald's original mascot, introduced as part of the chain's early identity.
Speedee was a hamburger-headed character associated with the Speedee Service System developed by Richard and Maurice McDonald. The brothers used that system when they reorganized their San Bernardino, California, restaurant in 1948 around faster, more standardized service.
The character appeared in early McDonald's signs and advertising before Ronald McDonald became the company's best-known mascot. Speedee's name emphasized the restaurant's quick-service model, which was a central part of the McDonald brothers' business concept.
People sometimes confuse Speedee with the later characters used in McDonaldland. Ronald McDonald became prominent in the 1960s, while Speedee belongs to the earlier branding era and was eventually phased out as the Golden Arches and character advertising gained importance.