Which McDonald’s mascot debuted in 1971 as a black-and-white striped hamburger thief?

The Hamburglar debuted in 1971 as a black-and-white striped hamburger thief.

The character joined the McDonaldland cast during a major expansion of McDonald’s fictional advertising world. His defining costume included black-and-white stripes, a cape, gloves, and a wide-brimmed hat, while his plots centered on trying to steal hamburgers.

The original Hamburglar design was more grotesque and child-unfriendly than the later version. McDonald’s redesigned him in the 1980s with a smaller, younger appearance that fit the company’s family-oriented advertising more closely.

The Hamburglar is often confused with Captain Crook, another McDonaldland villain associated with Filet-O-Fish. The Hamburglar’s specific branding role was to pursue hamburgers, especially the Big Mac.