Getty/TikTok (Grimace Shake official) McDonald's and a scene from a Grimace Shake TikTok video.
What is the Grimace shake TikTok trend?
According to ABC7, it’s a horror trend in which TikTok users pretend “to die on camera” after drinking the new McDonald’s purple shake.
Sometimes they “dump the shake over their convulsing bodies” to indicate that Grimace killed them, the television station reported.
A video compilation of some of the Grimace shake TikTok videos shows people drinking the purple shake before cutting to scenes of them looking dead in different ways. One person was lying on the ground, another against a wall, and two other people were floating in water. They aren’t actually dead, obviously. It’s a joke.
Here’s what you need to know:
McDonald’s Debuted a ‘Grimace Birthday Meal’ That Included the Purple Shake
According to ABC7, McDonald’s debuted the Grimace shake in June 2023. On its website, McDonald’s is touting “Grimace’s birthday meal.”
What is that? “It’s a birthday meal to celebrate the lovable purple guy Grimace—available for a limited time starting 6/12,” McDonald’s website says. “This meal comes with a Big Mac, medium Fries and a medium Grimace’s Birthday Shake. Grimace’s Birthday Meal with a Big Mac has 1490 calories.”
Axios describes Grimace as an “iconic purple character.” Food Network describes Grimace as a “giant, hairy, blob-shaped purple McDonald’s character.”
On June 6, 2023, McDonald’s wrote in a press release, “Whether you’ve attended an epic party at the PlayPlace or swapped the fancy dinner for what you were really craving (hello, McNuggets), we know birthdays with McDonald’s hold a special place in our fans’ hearts. Now, we’re inviting everyone to create new birthday memories with us… this time, in honor of their fuzzy purple bestie. Get your party hat ready, ’cause we’re celebrating Grimace’s birthday.”
The Grimace Shake Tastes ‘Reminiscent of Berry Cereal Milk’
@grimaceshakeofficial #fyp #viral #trending #real #grimace #grimaceshake #mcdonalds ♬ inside out – 💗
What does the Grimace shake taste like? Food Network described the flavor as “reminiscent of berry cereal milk, with sprinkles and frosting thrown into the mix. We like that it’s not cloyingly sweet – and definitely brings back the delight of childhood birthday parties.”
“Our fans have amazing childhood memories of their birthdays at McDonald’s…and Grimace’s Birthday is all about paying homage to the amazing, fun moments we all share,” said Tariq Hassan, Chief Marketing and Customer Experience Officer at McDonald’s USA, in the press release. “We’re excited to put a modern spin on these memories to continue to drive McDonald’s relevance with a new generation. Grimace is the perfect lovable icon to have McDonald’s meet our fans at the intersection of nostalgia and culture.”
According to the McDonald’s press release,
For those just realizing how little you actually know about your purple pal…Grimace is from Grimace Island and comes from a huge family (including his Grandma Winky, aunts Millie and Tillie and his Uncle O’Grimacey!) Our timeless bestie has become a fan-favorite known for his signature fuzzy purple look, friendly and playful personality, love for shakes, and of course – ambiguous nature. What exactly is Grimace? Perhaps we’ll never know…
The press release says the shake will be available “until supplies last.” A date is not given.
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