Speedee was the name of McDonald's first official corporate mascot, used in its early branding.
Speedee was depicted as a chef-like figure and represented the speed of the restaurant's service. The name connected directly with the McDonald brothers' emphasis on fast preparation and a limited menu when their redesigned restaurant opened in San Bernardino, California, in 1948.
The character appeared in early signs, packaging, and promotional materials before Ronald McDonald became the chain's dominant advertising figure. Speedee therefore belongs to McDonald's earliest visual identity, when efficiency and quick service were central selling points.
Speedee is sometimes confused with the later mascot Speedee Service, or with Ronald McDonald. The early character was not a clown and was not created for the later McDonaldland world. Its branding role was to communicate speed rather than family entertainment.