Which McDonald’s character was originally known as the “Hamburglar”?

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

He was introduced as part of the McDonaldland advertising universe, where each character represented a recurring role in the company’s fantasy-based marketing. The Hamburglar’s name directly linked the character to McDonald’s signature hamburger products.

His appearance changed substantially over time. The early version was more elaborate and villain-like, while the later version became a smaller, friendlier character wearing a striped outfit and cape. These redesigns reflected changes in the tone of McDonald’s advertising for children and families.

The Hamburglar is sometimes confused with Grimace or Mayor McCheese because all three belonged to McDonaldland. Grimace was a large purple character, and Mayor McCheese had a cheeseburger-shaped head. The hamburger-stealing character was specifically the Hamburglar.