McDonald's original mascot, introduced in 1948, was named Speedee.
Speedee represented the restaurant's original Speedee Service System, which emphasized fast preparation and a small menu. The character was depicted as a chef-like figure with a hamburger-shaped head and was used in early signs and promotional material.
Speedee predates Ronald McDonald and is easy to confuse with later McDonaldland characters. Ronald became the brand's dominant mascot in the 1960s, while Speedee gradually disappeared from consumer-facing advertising.
The name also reflected the McDonald brothers' central promise: customers could receive a limited selection of food quickly. That service concept helped distinguish the San Bernardino restaurant before the Golden Arches became the company's most recognizable symbol.