Which McDonald's character was known as a hamburger-stealing burglar?

The Hamburglar was McDonald's character known for trying to steal hamburgers.

He was part of the McDonaldland cast and became recognizable through his striped clothing, cape, hat, and mischievous behavior. His name is a wordplay combination of “hamburger” and “burglar,” making his role immediately clear in McDonald's family advertising.

The character's appearance changed over time. Early versions were more sinister and were sometimes portrayed as difficult for other characters to understand. McDonald's later presented the Hamburglar as a smaller, more child-friendly figure, especially in campaigns aimed at younger audiences.

The Hamburglar is distinct from Captain Crook, who was associated with stealing Filet-O-Fish sandwiches, and from Grimace, whose early advertising role involved milkshakes. These characters were all part of McDonaldland, but each was linked to different food-related behavior or imagery.