Speedee was McDonald's early mascot, depicted as a speeding chef.
The character represented the McDonald brothers' Speedee Service System, the streamlined production method introduced at their San Bernardino restaurant in 1948. Speedee was commonly shown as a chef-like figure with a hamburger-shaped head and a sign associated with fast service.
The mascot connected McDonald's visual identity to its central business promise: customers could receive a limited menu quickly. The name “Speedee” therefore functioned as both a character name and a reminder of the restaurant's service system.
Speedee is often confused with Ronald McDonald because both were used in McDonald's advertising. Ronald became the chain's famous clown mascot during the 1960s, while Speedee belonged to the earlier branding period and was eventually replaced in national marketing.