People are just finding out what McDonald’s Grimace actually is

Back way back when, in the McDonald’s of another age, there was a whole bunch of characters associated with the brand.

Of course, there was the clown, Ronald McDonald, the Hamburglar, the Fry Kids and Grimace, all making up McDonaldland.

While we don’t see much of that gang anymore, the purple, well, thing made a bit of a reappearance in 2024 when the UK finally got to try the infamous Grimace Shake.

But if we’re honest, ‘thing’ is the right word because while many of us were sipping away on those purple drinks from Maccies, we had no idea what on Earth Grimace actually is.

And it seems like for a while, even McDonald’s wasn’t totally certain either as the thing went through its own PR shifts.

Grimace was shifted into more of a friendlier character (Jasen Vinlove/Miami Marlins/Getty Images)

The purple blob was initially nicknamed ‘Evil Grimace’ back in 1971, using his four arms to rob people’s milkshakes.

Yet he later became less of an evil companion of Ronald over the years – while people still wondered what he’s supposed to be.

Back in 2012, McDonald’s itself tweeted simply that Grimace is 'the embodiment of a milkshake, though others still insist he's a taste bud', while other bosses referred to him as a 'blob of a sweetheart'.

But the truth finally came to light when a Maccies manager in Windsor, Canada, casually dropped the bombshell in an interview with CBC News after celebrating being named Outstanding Manager of the Year.

Brian Bates said at the time: "He is an enormous taste bud, but a taste bud nonetheless." He added that Grimace's role is simply to show that the chain's food tastes good.

Basically, the character’s change over to this friendly, more cuddly creature happened due to the bosses clocking that he was somewhat too frightening for kids to like.

Grimace is apparently a tastebud (Peter Kramer/NBC/NBCU Photo Bank via Getty Images)

"The original Grimace was scaly, mean‑looking, had four arms, and had no charm whatsoever," McDonald's former vice‑president of advertising Roy T. Bergold Jr. wrote in QSR magazine.

"He scared kids. We changed him to a soft, plush, two-armed blob of a sweetheart who only wanted McDonald’s milkshakes and to hang out with Ronald."

But it turns out, plenty of people actually thought he was just a ‘purple chicken nugget’ as a fan previously wrote on social media: "BTW why didn't you tell me in the 80s Grimace is a TASTEBUD?!"

Maccies also commented on Grimace's change of behaviour, as another person asked: "And you're suuuure he's not still evil?" To which the food chain wrote back: "He is a super chill guy now."