Which McDonald's character became the chain's chief advertising mascot after Speedee?

Ronald McDonald became McDonald's chief advertising mascot after Speedee. He was introduced in 1963 and developed into the central personality of the company's child-focused marketing.

Ronald's design drew on the image of a clown, a figure intended to attract children's attention and make the restaurant feel playful. His earliest television appearance used an improvised costume, but later versions established the red-haired clown, yellow jumpsuit, striped sleeves, and red shoes associated with the character.

McDonaldland advertising eventually surrounded Ronald with other characters, including Grimace, the Hamburglar, and Mayor McCheese. Those figures helped create a shared fictional setting, but Ronald remained the principal human-like mascot. Speedee belongs to the earlier restaurant era, while Ronald represents the more elaborate family-oriented branding that followed.