The Hamburglar was introduced by McDonald's in 1971 as a character who wanted to steal hamburgers.
The character became part of the company's expanding fictional McDonaldland cast, which presented McDonald's food and restaurants through fantasy figures. Early versions of the Hamburglar had a more sinister appearance, including dark clothing and a pointed nose.
McDonald's later redesigned the character into a smaller, more child-friendly figure. His recurring catchphrase, “Robble robble,” became a memorable part of the character's branding, even though the Hamburglar was usually portrayed as a comic troublemaker rather than a genuine criminal.
The Hamburglar is sometimes confused with Grimace because both characters appeared in McDonaldland advertising. Their roles were different: the Hamburglar pursued hamburgers, while Grimace began as a four-armed character associated with milkshakes before receiving a friendlier redesign.