Which McDonald’s product gave its name to the character Mayor McCheese?

Mayor McCheese was named for the cheeseburger, the McDonald’s sandwich represented by his oversized cheeseburger head.

Mayor McCheese was one of the best-known figures in McDonaldland advertising. He wore a formal mayoral outfit, including a suit and sash, while his head was designed to resemble a cheeseburger. The character used a familiar menu item as a visual identity, allowing children to connect the fictional mayor with McDonald’s food.

The character is sometimes incorrectly linked specifically to the Big Mac because the Big Mac is one of McDonald’s most famous products. However, Mayor McCheese’s defining food reference was the generic cheeseburger rather than a Big Mac. His name also reflects the pun-based naming style used throughout McDonaldland, where food words were combined with roles, actions, or character traits.