McDonald's earliest mascot was named Speedee.
Speedee was a chef character used by McDonald's before Ronald McDonald and the later McDonaldland cast. The character represented the restaurant's emphasis on fast food and appeared alongside the early Speedee Service System branding.
The name is often confused with the general word “speedy,” but Speedee was a branded character. He was also associated with the hamburger-service system developed by brothers Richard and Maurice McDonald in San Bernardino, California.
Ronald McDonald eventually became the company's best-known advertising mascot, but Speedee belongs to the earlier period of McDonald's visual identity. The change reflected the company's expanding family-oriented advertising and its move toward a more recognizable national brand.