The McDonald’s advertising character known as the Hamburglar debuted in 1971.
The Hamburglar was created as a mischievous figure whose central joke involved trying to steal hamburgers. His striped clothing, cape, and distinctive speech made him visually and verbally different from Ronald McDonald and the other characters in McDonaldland.
Like Grimace and Mayor McCheese, the Hamburglar belonged to the expanding cast used in McDonald’s family-oriented advertising during the 1970s. The character’s design changed over time. Later versions were smaller and more childlike than the original figure, but the hamburger-stealing theme remained the defining idea.
The Hamburglar is often mixed up with Grimace because both were supporting mascots introduced during the same broad advertising era. Their roles were separate: Grimace became a friendly purple companion, while the Hamburglar represented playful mischief centered on hamburgers.