Ronald McDonald was introduced by McDonald's in 1963 as its first major mascot after Speedee.
The character was created for television advertising aimed at children. The first Ronald McDonald performer was Willard Scott, who had already played a clown character called Bozo on television. McDonald's adapted the clown concept into a character associated specifically with its restaurants and products.
Ronald's appearance developed over time. Early versions used recognizable McDonald's items as costume elements, while later versions established the familiar red-haired clown with yellow clothing and red-and-white stripes. He became the central figure in a larger fictional world that included characters such as Grimace, the Hamburglar, and Mayor McCheese.
Ronald McDonald is sometimes confused with the chain's earliest mascot, Speedee. Speedee represented fast service in the 1940s and 1950s; Ronald became the dominant child-focused advertising figure during the 1960s.