The Hamburglar was McDonald’s thief character introduced in the 1970s as part of McDonaldland branding.
The character was presented as a small, mischievous figure whose main obsession was stealing hamburgers. His striped clothing, cape, and exaggerated speech made him visually distinctive in television advertising and in other McDonald’s promotional material. He appeared alongside Ronald McDonald and other fictional residents of McDonaldland.
The Hamburglar’s design changed substantially over time. The earliest version was more ghoulish and adult-looking, while the later version became a smaller, childlike character with a black mask and red clothing. This redesign helped align the character with the family-oriented tone of McDonald’s advertising.
The Hamburglar is sometimes confused with Captain Crook, another McDonaldland villain. Captain Crook was associated with Filet-O-Fish sandwiches, whereas the Hamburglar’s defining joke involved hamburgers.