Which masked McDonald’s character was known for stealing hamburgers?

The Hamburglar was the masked McDonald’s character known for stealing hamburgers.

The Hamburglar became part of McDonaldland, the fantasy setting used in McDonald’s advertising from the early 1970s. His defining behavior was trying to take hamburgers, usually while being pursued or outsmarted by other characters.

Early versions of the character looked more sinister and spoke in a distinctive, somewhat childlike style. McDonald’s later redesigned him with a smaller, friendlier appearance and a more playful personality, reflecting broader changes in children’s advertising.

The Hamburglar is sometimes confused with Captain Crook, another McDonaldland figure associated with Filet-O-Fish sandwiches. Their food-related roles were different: the Hamburglar’s signature target was the hamburger, while Captain Crook was connected with fish sandwiches.