Which McDonald's character is a clown and the central figure of McDonaldland?

Ronald McDonald is the clown and central figure of McDonaldland.

McDonald's introduced Ronald in 1963 as a friendly clown character for advertising. His bright costume, exaggerated makeup, and playful personality made him immediately distinguishable from ordinary restaurant spokespeople and helped the company target families and children.

In McDonaldland advertisements, Ronald interacted with a cast that included Grimace, the Hamburglar, Mayor McCheese, and Birdie. Those characters occupied the same fictional world, but Ronald remained its principal host and the company's signature mascot.

A common mix-up is to identify Grimace or the Hamburglar as McDonald's main mascot because both became highly recognizable. They were supporting McDonaldland characters. Ronald's clown identity and central role are the features that distinguish him from the rest of the cast.