Which McDonald's character was the chain's primary clown mascot from 1963?

Ronald McDonald was McDonald's primary clown mascot from 1963. The character gave the company a highly recognizable human figure who could connect its restaurant brand with children and family entertainment.

Ronald first appeared in local television advertising in the Washington, D.C., area. Willard Scott portrayed the early version, which used visual elements inspired by McDonald's packaging. The costume was later redesigned into the more familiar red-haired clown appearance.

During the 1970s, Ronald became part of McDonaldland, where he appeared alongside characters such as the Hamburglar, Mayor McCheese, and Grimace. Those figures supported a broader brand world, but Ronald remained the central mascot and spokesperson.

The character is sometimes confused with the Hamburglar because both were heavily featured in McDonaldland commercials. Their roles were different: Ronald was the friendly lead mascot, while the Hamburglar was a mischievous supporting character associated with stealing hamburgers.