McDonald's original hamburger-headed mascot was Speedee.
Speedee appeared on McDonald's early restaurant signage and promotional materials after the McDonald brothers introduced their faster, simplified service system in 1948. The character was shown as a smiling chef with a hamburger-shaped head, linking the brand to speed and food preparation.
Speedee is sometimes confused with McDonaldland characters, which appeared later in the 1970s, or with Ronald McDonald, who became the chain's best-known mascot. Speedee gradually disappeared as the Golden Arches became McDonald's dominant visual symbol.
The name also reflected the brothers' Speedee Service System, which emphasized a limited menu, standardized production, and quick service. That operating model became an important part of McDonald's identity before the modern arches and character advertising took over.