Speedee was the McDonald's mascot replaced by Ronald McDonald as the brand's primary character.
Speedee was a small chef character associated with McDonald's early Speedee Service System. The name referred to the restaurant's emphasis on rapid preparation and service, an idea that became a foundation of the McDonald brothers' operating model.
Ronald McDonald emerged in advertising during the 1960s and gradually became the chain's dominant public mascot. His clown appearance gave McDonald's a character that could connect more directly with children and support the expanding family-oriented image of the brand.
The change did not erase Speedee from McDonald's history. Speedee remains an important early symbol, and the character appears in historical accounts of the restaurant's original branding. The Hamburglar and Grimace were later members of McDonaldland, not predecessors to Speedee.