Ronald McDonald is McDonald’s clown character with red hair, yellow clothing, and red-and-white stripes. He became the company’s central human mascot after appearing in television advertising during the 1960s.
The character’s visual design uses colors strongly associated with McDonald’s restaurants and packaging. Ronald’s costume developed over time, but the clown identity, red hair, yellow garments, and striped details remained central to his recognition. His role was to present McDonald’s as a playful, family-friendly place.
Ronald is often confused with other McDonaldland characters. The Hamburglar is a black-and-white striped character associated with stealing hamburgers, while Grimace is a large purple character. Captain Crook was another character from the same fictional advertising setting. Ronald’s name is also distinct from the restaurant chain’s name: it is a character name created for advertising rather than a founder’s name.