The Hamburglar was the McDonald’s mascot known for stealing hamburgers while wearing a striped outfit.
The character was introduced as part of McDonaldland, McDonald’s fictional advertising setting populated by food-themed and human-like figures. His identity was built around playful hamburger theft rather than real danger, making him suitable for children’s advertising.
Earlier versions of the Hamburglar looked more like a small, mischievous old man. McDonald’s later redesigned him as a younger, more cartoon-like character, while retaining the striped clothing and hamburger obsession that defined the role.
The Hamburglar is often confused with Grimace or Ronald McDonald because all three appeared in McDonaldland advertising. Their roles were different: Ronald was the central clown mascot, Grimace was the friendly purple companion, and the Hamburglar supplied comic mischief.