The Hamburglar was McDonald’s hamburger-stealing rival to Ronald McDonald.
The character became part of the McDonaldland advertising world, a fictional setting populated by mascots associated with McDonald’s products and restaurant experiences. The Hamburglar was portrayed as a small, mischievous figure whose central joke was trying to steal hamburgers. His striped clothing, cape, and later redesigned appearance made him one of the campaign’s most recognizable characters.
The Hamburglar is distinct from Grimace, who was originally associated with milkshakes, and from Officer Big Mac, a law-enforcement-style character. The character’s role was comic rather than threatening, allowing McDonald’s to build a playful story world around its menu and its central clown mascot.