Speedee was the name of McDonald's original hamburger-selling mascot.
Speedee was introduced in the late 1940s, when the restaurant operated under the McDonald's Speedee Service System. The character was a chef-like figure with a hamburger-shaped head, reflecting the restaurant's emphasis on fast service and standardized preparation.
The mascot appeared in early signs and promotional material before Ronald McDonald became the chain's best-known character. Speedee's name also echoed the word “speedy,” reinforcing the promise that customers would receive food quickly.
Speedee is often confused with later McDonald's characters. Ronald McDonald became the principal public mascot in the 1960s, while the Hamburglar and Mayor McCheese were added to the wider McDonaldland cast. Speedee belongs to the company's earliest branding period.