Speedee was the McDonald’s mascot that preceded Ronald McDonald.
Speedee was introduced in the 1940s and represented the company’s original emphasis on quick service. The character was depicted as a chef-like figure, often with a hamburger-shaped head and a broad smile. His name echoed the speed-focused identity of McDonald’s early restaurant system.
Speedee remained part of McDonald’s branding during the period when the company was developing standardized food preparation and service. As the company’s advertising became more focused on families and children, Ronald McDonald gradually became the better-known mascot. Speedee was eventually removed from most prominent branding.
Speedee is sometimes confused with the Hamburglar or other McDonaldland characters, but those figures appeared later and belonged to a different advertising world.