McDonald's original chef-hat mascot, used from 1948, was Speedee.
Speedee was a smiling chef character whose name referred to the restaurant's emphasis on speedy service. He appeared in early McDonald's branding before Ronald McDonald and before the Golden Arches became the company's dominant visual symbol.
The character was inherited from the McDonald brothers' Speedee Service System, introduced at their San Bernardino, California, restaurant in 1948. That system reorganized food preparation around a limited menu, production-line methods, and rapid customer service.
Speedee is sometimes confused with later McDonald's characters such as the Hamburglar or Grimace. The mascot was gradually retired as the company developed a more recognizable arches-based identity, although historical logos and memorabilia still show him.