The Hamburglar was the chief thief character in McDonaldland advertising.
Introduced as part of McDonald’s character-based marketing, the Hamburglar was portrayed as a small, mischievous figure who wanted to steal hamburgers. His striped clothing, mask, and exaggerated behavior made him visually distinctive in television commercials and promotional materials.
The character’s design changed over the years. Early versions were more elaborate and sometimes appeared as an older, somewhat sinister figure. McDonald’s later redesigned the Hamburglar as a younger cartoon character, making the tone more playful and accessible for children.
The Hamburglar belonged to the same fictional advertising world as Ronald McDonald, Grimace, Mayor McCheese, and other characters. The character was not the company’s first mascot: that role was associated with Speedee before Ronald became central. The Hamburglar’s name specifically refers to hamburgers and his fictional attempts to take them.