Captain Crook was McDonald's 1970s pirate character associated with stealing Filet-O-Fish sandwiches.
Captain Crook appeared in McDonaldland advertising alongside characters such as Ronald McDonald, Grimace, and Mayor McCheese. His pirate identity provided a humorous way to connect a fictional character with a specific menu item, especially the Filet-O-Fish sandwich.
The character's role illustrates how McDonald's branding used personification to give individual products their own advertising associations. Instead of presenting only a food photograph or price, commercials could place a menu item inside a continuing story with recognizable characters.
Captain Crook is often confused with the Hamburglar because both were portrayed as thieves. The distinction is the food and character theme: Captain Crook was the pirate linked with Filet-O-Fish, while the Hamburglar was the hamburger-focused character.