The Hamburglar was the McDonald's mascot who wore black-and-white stripes and was associated with stealing hamburgers.
The character became part of the McDonaldland advertising world and was defined by a playful obsession with hamburgers. Earlier versions had a more elaborate costume and a speech pattern built around burger-themed wordplay. The character's visual design was later simplified for a more modern appearance.
The Hamburglar's role gave McDonald's advertising a comic source of conflict: the character wanted the burgers, while the other McDonaldland figures and Ronald McDonald represented the restaurant's friendly world. This made the mascot useful in short commercials and promotional stories.
The Hamburglar is sometimes confused with Grimace or Captain Crook. Grimace was the purple figure, while Captain Crook was associated with Filet-O-Fish promotions. The Hamburglar's defining branding trait was his burger-stealing identity.