Which McDonald's character debuted in 1971 as a hamburger thief?

Hamburglar debuted in 1971 as a McDonald's character portrayed as a hamburger thief.

The character became part of McDonald's expanding fictional world of advertising mascots, appearing alongside figures such as Ronald McDonald, Grimace, and Mayor McCheese. His defining theme was a playful obsession with taking hamburgers, expressed through his name and costume.

Hamburglar is sometimes confused with other McDonaldland characters because the campaign used a large ensemble of mascots. He was not the chain's original mascot, and he did not replace Ronald McDonald. Instead, he served as one of the supporting characters in McDonald's television and promotional branding.