The Hamburglar was McDonald’s masked thief character who stole hamburgers in early McDonaldland advertising.
The character was introduced in 1971 as part of McDonald’s expanding group of fictional mascots. His central joke was simple and family-friendly: he tried to take hamburgers, while Ronald McDonald and the other characters attempted to stop or outwit him.
The Hamburglar’s appearance changed over time. Early versions looked more like a small, older character, while the later version became a childlike figure wearing a black-and-white outfit, cape, mask, and hat. Those redesigns helped the character fit changing advertising styles.
The Hamburglar is distinct from Captain Crook, another McDonaldland character associated with stealing Filet-O-Fish sandwiches. Their food targets and costumes were different.