McDonald's original chef-hat mascot was named Speedee.
Speedee appeared in McDonald's early branding after brothers Richard and Maurice McDonald reorganized their restaurant around the Speedee Service System in 1948. The character was drawn as a smiling chef and represented fast, standardized food preparation.
Speedee predates Ronald McDonald and the modern Golden Arches identity. The mascot's name is sometimes confused with the general word “speedy,” but the branded character was specifically called Speedee. McDonald's later moved away from Speedee as its best-known public symbol, especially as the Golden Arches and other characters became more prominent.
The Speedee identity is historically important because it connected the restaurant's visual branding to its operating model: a limited menu, assembly-line preparation, and quick service. That system helped establish the ideas later associated with McDonald's worldwide.