Which McDonaldland character was portrayed as the fictional world's mayor?

Mayor McCheese was portrayed as the mayor of McDonaldland.

McDonaldland was a fictional setting created for McDonald's advertising in 1971. Its characters personified menu items, restaurant themes, and playful food-related ideas. Mayor McCheese stood out because his head was shaped like a cheeseburger, complete with a sesame-seed bun, lettuce, cheese, and other familiar details.

The character appeared in commercials, promotional materials, and other children’s marketing alongside Ronald McDonald and residents such as Officer Big Mac, Captain Crook, and the Hamburglar. His title made him the setting’s most obvious civic figure.

Mayor McCheese is sometimes confused with Officer Big Mac because both characters were based on McDonald’s menu branding and appeared in the same advertising world. The distinction is straightforward: Mayor McCheese was the elected-style civic leader, while Officer Big Mac was associated with law enforcement. McDonaldland campaigns became less prominent after McDonald’s reduced the use of many of its fictional characters.