The Hamburglar is McDonald’s character known as the striped-shirt hamburger thief.
The Hamburglar was one of the principal residents of McDonaldland, the fictional advertising world created for McDonald’s family marketing. In his early appearances, he wore a black-and-white striped outfit and was portrayed as a mischievous character trying to steal hamburgers, especially McDonald’s signature burgers.
The character’s design changed over time. Later versions gave him a more childlike appearance, while preserving the central hamburger-themed name and identity. His role was comic rather than threatening, fitting the playful tone of McDonald’s advertising.
The Hamburglar is sometimes confused with Captain Crook, another McDonaldland character associated with Filet-O-Fish sandwiches, or with Grimace, whose role changed substantially over the years. These characters were separate figures within the same advertising universe.