Ronald McDonald first appeared in 1963 as McDonald’s human-sized clown mascot.
The character was created for television advertising and quickly became the public face of the brand. Willard Scott, then a television personality in Washington, D.C., played an early version of Ronald McDonald. His costume used recognizable McDonald’s products, including a paper cup and food packaging, as part of the character’s clothing.
Ronald’s design changed over time. Later versions used a yellow jumpsuit, red-and-white striped sleeves, red hair, and oversized shoes. McDonald’s placed him in a fictional world called McDonaldland alongside characters such as Mayor McCheese, the Hamburglar, Grimace, and Birdie.
Ronald McDonald is sometimes confused with the company’s earlier Speedee mascot, which represented fast service rather than the restaurant’s family-oriented advertising world. Speedee was introduced in the 1940s, while Ronald became the dominant character in the 1960s.