Speedee was McDonald's original logo mascot before Ronald McDonald.
Speedee appeared as a small chef-like figure in the early McDonald's identity. The name referred to the brothers' “Speedee Service System,” introduced at their San Bernardino restaurant in 1948. That system emphasized a limited menu, assembly-line preparation, and fast service, so Speedee visually represented the restaurant's operating promise.
The character was eventually replaced in the logo by the Golden Arches as McDonald's branding shifted toward the architectural symbol. Ronald McDonald later became the chain's best-known promotional mascot, but he did not replace Speedee in a single simple transition from one character campaign to another; the company used several overlapping visual identities as it expanded.
A frequent confusion is treating Speedee as another name for Ronald McDonald. They are separate characters from different stages of the brand's history. Speedee is tied to the original service-system logo, while Ronald was introduced in television advertising in 1963 and became the face of McDonaldland.