Which McDonald’s character was created as the brand’s fictional mayor?

Mayor McCheese was created as the fictional mayor of McDonaldland.

McDonald’s introduced McDonaldland as a fantasy setting for character-based advertising. Mayor McCheese was one of its central figures, depicted with a cheeseburger-shaped head and formal mayoral clothing.

The character helped give the advertising world a civic structure, alongside figures such as Ronald McDonald, the Hamburglar, Grimace, and Captain Crook. The unusual design made the character easy for children to recognize in television commercials and promotional materials.

Mayor McCheese is often confused with the Big Mac, because both names connect McDonald’s characters or products with burgers. The Big Mac is a menu item, while Mayor McCheese is a fictional advertising character.