McDonald's mascot created in 1948 to symbolize fast service was Speedee.
Speedee was a chef-like character used in McDonald's early branding. His name referred to the restaurant's emphasis on quickly prepared food, a central part of the brothers' original drive-in concept.
Speedee predates Ronald McDonald and the later McDonaldland characters by many years. The character was eventually replaced as McDonald's branding shifted toward the Golden Arches and a more family-oriented identity.
A common mix-up is treating Speedee as another name for Ronald McDonald. They were separate mascots from different periods of the company's history.