Which McDonald’s mascot wore striped clothing and was known for stealing hamburgers?

The Hamburglar was the McDonald’s mascot known for stealing hamburgers.

The character appeared in McDonaldland advertising as a small, mischievous figure whose main obsession was taking hamburgers. His early costume was more elaborate and childlike, including striped clothing, a cape, and a wide-brimmed hat. The character’s speech was often limited to playful, fragmentary phrases.

McDonald’s later redesigned the Hamburglar into a younger-looking character with a black mask, red hair, and a simpler outfit. The redesign made him more recognizable and less sinister for a family audience while preserving the hamburger-stealing joke.

The Hamburglar is sometimes confused with Grimace because both were mischievous early McDonaldland characters. Their roles were different: the Hamburglar focused on hamburgers, while early Grimace advertising centered on milkshakes. Both belonged to the broader McDonaldland campaign introduced nationally in 1971.