Speedee was McDonald's first mascot, depicted as a small chef before Ronald McDonald became prominent.
Speedee was introduced in the late 1940s, when McDonald's branding emphasized the restaurant's fast service. The character was commonly shown as a chef-like figure with a hamburger-shaped head and a sign associated with the “15¢” hamburger.
The mascot's name referred to speed, reflecting the early restaurant's focus on efficient preparation and service. It appeared in early signage and advertising before the Golden Arches and Ronald McDonald became the chain's dominant symbols.
Speedee is sometimes confused with later McDonaldland characters because all were used in restaurant advertising. Speedee belongs to the company's earlier branding era and is distinct from the Hamburglar, Grimace, and Ronald McDonald.