What was the name of McDonald’s first national mascot character after Speedee?

Ronald McDonald was McDonald’s first national mascot character after Speedee.

McDonald’s introduced Ronald in 1963 as the company expanded its family-oriented advertising. Unlike Speedee, who represented fast food preparation, Ronald was designed as an entertainer and friendly guide for children visiting McDonald’s restaurants.

The character helped establish a consistent personality across a growing national chain. Television commercials made Ronald widely recognizable, and later McDonaldland campaigns placed him at the center of a larger group of recurring characters.

The word “national” matters because local McDonald’s advertising could use different personalities before the company’s branding became standardized. Speedee remained an important early symbol, but Ronald became the public-facing mascot associated with the national brand. He should also be distinguished from the company’s later charity, Ronald McDonald House Charities, whose name reflects the mascot rather than creating him.