McDonald’s moon-themed mascot used in advertising during the late 1980s and 1990s was Mac Tonight.
Mac Tonight was a character with a crescent-moon head, sunglasses, and a tuxedo. He appeared in a campaign promoting McDonald’s as an evening destination, a positioning that differed from the company’s long-standing emphasis on breakfast, lunch, and family dining.
The commercials prominently featured a version of the song “Mack the Knife,” giving the campaign a distinctive musical identity. Mac Tonight became especially associated with late-night restaurant visits and with a more stylized, adult-oriented advertising tone than the McDonaldland characters.
Mac Tonight is often confused with the company’s permanent mascots. He was a campaign-specific advertising character, not a replacement for Ronald McDonald. He also should not be confused with the 1970s McDonaldland figures, whose designs and stories were aimed more directly at children.