Which McDonaldland character debuted in 1971 as the fictional town's mayor?

Mayor McCheese debuted in 1971 as the mayor of McDonaldland.

The character had a large cheeseburger for a head and wore a mayoral sash, combining a civic role with McDonald's food imagery. He appeared in advertising set in McDonaldland, a colorful fictional world populated by branded characters and used to appeal especially to children and families.

Mayor McCheese was one of several McDonaldland figures introduced during the early 1970s. Grimace, the Hamburglar, Birdie, and other characters occupied different roles in the advertising universe, but Mayor McCheese was specifically presented as the town's mayor.

McDonaldland characters later became less prominent in mainstream McDonald's advertising. The character should not be confused with Officer Big Mac, whose role was connected with policing, or with Ronald McDonald, who served as the principal human-like mascot and host of the fictional world.