Ronald McDonald is getting a makeover. The restaurant icon, famous for his yellow jumpsuit and floppy shoes, will now be wearing yellow cargo pants, a vest, a red-and-white striped rugby shirt, red blazer and and a red bowtie.

McDonald's says his iconic big red shoes will stay the same, and the blazer will be reserved for "special occasions",

It will also feature Golden Arches on the front pocket and his well-recognized signature on the back.

While for the first time, the character will take an active role on social media - using the Ronald McDonald hashtag.

The company says it seeks to deliver on the mission of "Fun makes great things happen".

"Ronald brings to life the fun of our brand by connecting with customers around the world, whether he's promoting literacy or spreading cheer at a Ronald McDonald House" said Dean Barrett, Senior Vice President, Global Relationship Officer.

"Customers today want to engage with brands in different ways and Ronald will continue to evolve to be modern and relevant" he added.

The company says its outlets will also have revamped furniture, in-store graphics and other design elements featuring Ronald McDonald within restaurants over the next few years.

TV ads in the US with the newly-reimaged Ronald will begin appearing later this year.

His new clothes were designed by theatrical designer Ann Hould-Ward, who has worked in countless Broadway shows, including"Beauty and the Beast".

McDonald's has approximately 35,000 locations serving more than 70 million customers in more than 100 countries world-wide.