The Hamburglar was created as a McDonald's character who targeted hamburgers.
The Hamburglar became one of the best-known figures in McDonaldland advertising. His name and costume made the joke immediately clear: he was a small burger thief whose schemes revolved around taking McDonald's hamburgers.
The character changed visually over time. Early versions were more villainous and had a less child-friendly appearance, while the later design made him a smaller, more cartoonish figure suitable for family advertising.
The Hamburglar is often confused with Grimace because both were major McDonaldland characters. Their roles were different: Grimace was primarily a companion character, while the Hamburglar's defining trait was his comic obsession with stealing burgers.