Hamburglar was McDonaldland’s villainous character who tried to steal hamburgers.
McDonald’s introduced the Hamburglar as part of the McDonaldland advertising world, a fictional setting populated by mascots representing different parts of the brand. His defining behavior was attempting to take hamburgers, usually while being chased or exposed by the other characters.
The character’s design changed substantially over time. Early versions were more elaborate and sometimes portrayed Hamburglar as a small, masked adult figure. Later advertising simplified him into a childlike character wearing a striped outfit, cape and mask. Those redesigns helped make him friendlier and more suitable for children.
Hamburglar is sometimes confused with Captain Crook, another McDonaldland villain associated with Filet-O-Fish sandwiches. Grimace was also not a hamburger thief: he was a separate purple character whose role and design evolved over the years. Hamburglar’s hamburger-stealing gimmick is the key feature that identifies him.