When McDonald’s released the Grimace Birthday Meal on June 12, it didn’t anticipate tainting the reputation of its once-lovable, globular-shaped mascot.
At the forefront of the special offering — which came with the choice of a Big Mac, 10-piece Chicken McNuggets and fries — was a berry-flavored milkshake, aptly called Grimace Shake. Inspired by Grimace’s iconic color, sweetness and personal love for purple beverages, the shake took off on TikTok with the #GrimaceShake trend.
The formula behind the trend was simple. Its message, however, was more sinister. Users filmed themselves excitedly taking sips of the shake before cutting to scenes of them contorted in painful positions and bleeding purple. An innocent treat suddenly transformed into something incredibly sinister. And an innocent character from McDonaldland had suddenly been casted as a ruthless murderer.
Why Grimace became a target of hate still remains an unanswered question today. Perhaps people took offense to his smile? Or maybe the issue was with his big, soulless eyes? Regardless, Grimace became both a villain and a prominent figure within pop culture. So much so that the question “Who is Grimace?” topped search terms in an astounding 29 U.S. states, per Google Trends data obtained from summer 2023.
McDonald's also benefited in summer sales from the increased exposure. According to the fast food giant’s quarterly earnings report, net sales were up 14% and net income increased to $2.31 billion, compared with $1.19 billion a year earlier.
The Grimace shake officially bid adieu to McDonald's restaurants a little less than a month later on July 9. But Grimace’s legacy still prevailed. In November, McDonald’s introduced a line of custom-designed clogs in collaboration with Crocs. The designs included three classic Crocs and one Crocs sandal featuring McDonald’s mascots Grimace, Hamburglar and Birdie, along with the chain’s classic red and yellow color scheme, according to CNBC. The shoes were released on Nov. 14, retailing for between $70 and $75. Customers could also buy matching socks for $20 each and several McDonald’s-themed charms, including french fries, the Big Mac and the famed Golden Arches logo.
“Inspired by everyone’s purple bestie, these sandals lined in faux fur will have you feeling like you’re walking a day in Grimace’s shoes,” McDonald’s wrote in a press release for its Grimace x Crocs Cozzzy Sandal. “The Grimace Cozzzy Sandal features his loveable expression on the straps, comes with his favorite treat – a shake in the form of a Jibbitz™ charm, and can be paired with matching socks.”
The Grimace-themed merchandise didn’t stop there. Most recently, McDonald’s launched the Grimace ugly sweater in anticipation of the holiday season.
“It's funny to wear the face of a mascot that killed more people in 2023 with milkshakes than anyone in history, but it really does scream Christmas spirit with the shake cups right under a smiling Grimace,” Instagram account @snackolator, who first broke the news, wrote. The purple knit sweaters, which cost $65 each, are currently sold out on the Golden Arches Unlimited website. At this time, it’s unclear if McDonald’s has plans to restock the sweaters for Christmas.
It’s also unclear if the Grimace Shake will make its comeback during Grimace’s birthday next year (he’ll be turning 53!). Until then, we’ll be stocking our closets with Grimace paraphernalia and looking back on 2023, the Year of Grimace.
