The Hamburglar was the McDonald’s character known for stealing hamburgers while wearing striped clothing.
The Hamburglar was part of McDonaldland, the fictional setting created for McDonald’s advertising. His central gag was simple and repeatable: he wanted hamburgers and tried to take them, especially from Ronald McDonald and the other characters. The striped outfit, cape, gloves, and exaggerated manner made him immediately recognizable to children.
The character changed over time. Early versions looked older and more like a mischievous villain, while a later redesign presented the Hamburglar as a smaller, childlike figure. This evolution reflected changes in children’s advertising and in McDonald’s preferred tone.
The Hamburglar should not be confused with a general nickname for a hamburger thief. It is the character’s official name, combining “hamburger” with the criminal-sounding suffix “-lar.” His role was comic rather than threatening, and his repeated attempts to steal burgers were usually stopped by the McDonaldland group.