Which McDonald’s character debuted in 1971 as a villain who stole hamburgers?

The Hamburglar debuted in 1971 as a McDonald’s villain who stole hamburgers.

The character was part of McDonaldland, a fictional world created for McDonald’s advertising. In his earliest appearances, the Hamburglar was a small, mischievous figure with a mask and a strong obsession with taking hamburgers. Later redesigns made him taller and more child-friendly.

The Hamburglar appeared with Ronald McDonald and other McDonaldland characters in television commercials, restaurant promotions, and branded merchandise. His role gave McDonald’s advertising a recurring comic conflict that children could easily recognize.

The character is sometimes confused with Grimace, who was originally introduced as a shake-stealing character. The Hamburglar’s defining activity was targeting hamburgers, while Grimace’s early identity centered on milkshakes.