McDonald’s 1980s character who wore a black mask and striped clothing was the Hamburglar.
The Hamburglar was one of the best-known characters in McDonaldland, McDonald’s fictional advertising world. His defining trait was an exaggerated desire to steal hamburgers, especially Big Macs, which created comic conflict in television commercials and promotional materials.
The character was introduced in 1971, but his appearance changed over time. The earlier Hamburglar looked more like a small, mischievous adult figure. In the 1980s, McDonald’s redesigned him as a younger character with a more child-friendly appearance, including a striped outfit and mask.
The Hamburglar is sometimes mixed up with Captain Crook, another McDonaldland character associated with Filet-O-Fish sandwiches. Grimace, by contrast, was a large purple character whose role and appearance were different from the Hamburglar’s burglar persona.