McDonald’s first mascot was Speedee, introduced in 1948 to represent the restaurant’s fast-service system.
Speedee was depicted as a chef with a hamburger-shaped head and was closely connected with McDonald’s original “Speedee Service System.” Richard and Maurice McDonald developed that system when they redesigned their restaurant in San Bernardino, California.
The character’s name emphasized speed rather than a particular menu item. Speedee appeared in early signage and promotional material before Ronald McDonald and the later McDonaldland characters became the company’s best-known advertising figures.
A common mix-up is assuming Ronald McDonald was always the company’s primary mascot. Ronald was introduced in the 1960s, while Speedee belonged to McDonald’s earlier postwar branding and was eventually retired.