Which McDonald's character was introduced in 1971 as the fictional town's mayor?

Mayor McCheese was introduced in 1971 as the mayor of McDonaldland.

The character was a large cheeseburger with a human-style body, formal clothing, and a presidential-looking sash. His role gave McDonaldland a civic structure and helped make the advertising world feel like a complete fictional community rather than a collection of unrelated mascots.

McDonaldland was created to surround McDonald's products with recurring characters, locations, and stories aimed mainly at children. Mayor McCheese appeared alongside figures such as Ronald McDonald, Grimace, the Hamburglar, and the Fry Kids.

The character is sometimes confused with Officer Big Mac, another burger-headed McDonaldland figure. Their designs and roles were different: Mayor McCheese represented the town's mayor, while Officer Big Mac was associated with law enforcement. Mayor McCheese was also involved in a 1970s copyright dispute with the creators of H.R. Pufnstuf.