Captain Crook was the McDonald’s character portrayed as a pirate who wanted to steal Filet-O-Fish sandwiches.
Captain Crook belonged to the McDonaldland cast, the fictional world used in McDonald’s advertising from the 1970s onward. His pirate costume and speech linked him specifically with the Filet-O-Fish product, giving the sandwich its own character-based advertising association.
McDonaldland characters were designed to make individual menu items and the restaurant experience more memorable for children. Captain Crook was less prominent than Ronald McDonald, the Hamburglar, or Grimace, which makes his role easier to forget.
He is often confused with the Hamburglar because both characters were depicted as food thieves. Their targets differed: Captain Crook was associated with Filet-O-Fish sandwiches, while the Hamburglar was associated with hamburgers.