The Hamburglar is McDonald's striped-shirt, burger-stealing trickster character.
The Hamburglar was introduced as part of McDonaldland, McDonald's fictional advertising setting populated by food-themed characters. He was portrayed as a small, mischievous figure who repeatedly tried to steal hamburgers. His striped clothing and distinctive character design made him easy to identify in television commercials and promotional material.
The character helped McDonald's build a connected advertising world rather than relying only on a single mascot. Ronald McDonald served as the central figure, while the Hamburglar supplied comic conflict and recurring storylines. Other characters included Mayor McCheese, Grimace, and Birdie the Early Bird.
The Hamburglar's design changed over time. Early versions looked older and more villainous, while later advertising presented a younger, more cartoon-like character. That evolution can cause confusion when viewers compare different decades of McDonald's branding.