McDonald's early chef-like mascot was named Speedee.
Speedee appeared in McDonald's first logo and represented the restaurant's emphasis on fast service. The character had a hamburger-shaped head and a chef's appearance, connecting the visual identity to the Speedee Service System developed by Maurice and Richard McDonald.
Speedee belongs to the company's earliest branding period, before the familiar Golden Arches became the central logo and before Ronald McDonald led McDonald's television advertising. The mascot's name was also a direct reference to speed, one of the restaurant's key selling points.
People sometimes confuse Speedee with Ronald McDonald because Ronald became the best-known McDonald's mascot. Grimace and the Hamburglar were later McDonaldland characters. Speedee is specifically associated with the original restaurant identity and the McDonald brothers' early operating system.