McDonald’s recently introduced a Grimace-themed shake to commemorate their purple mascot’s birthday. Unfortunately, this offer will only be available for a limited time and has become quite a viral meme.
This purple milkshake tastes like Froot Loops or Fruity Pebbles and pairs nicely with any Big Mac or 10-piece Chicken McNugget meal.
What does it taste like?
McDonald’s new purple Grimace Shake has left many perplexed about its taste. Launched as part of its Grimace Birthday Meal on June 12, this unique beverage can also be purchased individually at drive-thrus or directly. People have described its flavor as strawberry shortcake, cotton candy, and Fruity Pebbles; no one has been able to pinpoint exactly how it tastes; PEOPLE sampled the drink and found its flavor more fruity than sweet and thick – almost having a texture similar to frosted flakes- without being overly sugary or sweet – unlike what other have tried before.
McDonald’s purple shake isn’t the first time they’ve used an unusual hue to promote their food; previous examples include Shamrock Shake, and green-hued Angry Birds drinks on St. Patrick’s Day. But Grimace seems to work best as an advertising protagonist; his backstory dates back decades; in past ads, his furry character was described as having an enormous tastebud and even had an Uncle O’Grimacey friend!
McDonald’s did not respond to our inquiries for comment. Yet, the company appears to be playing with the TikTok trend by posting images of a mysterious shake’s mascot and suggesting it could be called “Grimaceshake.”
Haley Kalil, model and TikTok creator can be seen trying the shake. She says she enjoys it; however, the video then cuts to scenes showing her convulsing, bleeding, and covered with the purple shake. #Grimaceshake is also trending socially as this video goes viral.
TikTok videos don’t accurately represent what the shake actually tastes like, but you can easily create one at home by following a straightforward recipe. All it takes to make one is four scoops of vanilla ice cream mixed with two tablespoons of strawberry jam and milk mixed in the blender until thick and smooth – add additional flavors or colors like beet juice for extra dimension and flair!
Is it good?
McDonald’s recently unveiled a unique purple milkshake to honor beloved character Grimace’s birthday, and it has taken the Internet by storm. Available for only a limited time, its popularity helped drive second-quarter sales up by over 10% domestically and nearly 12% globally.
McDonald’s special-edition shake is made of vanilla soft serve, berries, and whipped cream and is inspired by the iconic purple McDonaldland character’s “iconic color and sweetness.” While McDonald’s did not provide details regarding the flavoring of their new treat, tasters online have speculated it might taste something like strawberry shortcake, cotton candy, or Fruity Pebbles.
Though its bizarrely appealing hue may entice many, berry shakes may not be for everyone. Although non-hazardous in practice, TikTok creators have used them to create an over-the-top horror trend by filming themselves trying to take sip after sip only to end up convulsing, bleeding, and otherwise experiencing fake deaths afterward – an effect which quickly went viral, earning millions of views on TikTok and reaching Twitter’s top trends list.
Some users have posted videos only seconds long, while others have created minute-long horror productions with their #GrimaceShake videos. One creator filmed herself drinking it before bleeding from her nose, falling off a ladder, and appearing possessed by Grimace himself – creating an absurd yet hilarious and bizarre trend with millions of views so far on TikTok (#GrimaceShake has amassed 2.5 billion views!).
For anyone curious to try their first purple shake, McDonald’s offers it for just $3.99 as part of its Grimace Birthday Meal (Big Mac or 10-piece Chicken McNuggets with medium fries and the Grimace Shake), or it can also be ordered as an individual beverage through drive-thru (please be aware it will only be available until further notice). And if the purple trend isn’t your cup of tea yet, they also offer regular chocolate milkshakes that might suit your palette!
Is it bad?
The purple shake has taken the world by storm, but not for reasons you might expect. While delicious, its popularity stems from a highly morbid TikTok trend surrounding it.
McDonald’s launched a berry-flavored drink on June 12 as part of a campaign to mark Grimace’s birthday, and its marketing effort went viral – declaring his gay icon status, custom merch, and skincare routine were available, but what got people talking online was its strange social-media fad surrounding it.
TikTok users have taken to making videos in which they take a sip of the shake and immediately cut to an image of themselves either passed out or dead in some strange setting, like draped over a car, lying in the trash can, or quivering on top of a pentagram. Their bodies often contain purple haze or vomit stains, while shake is scattered everywhere they land.
This isn’t by chance; this has been engineered as a marketing ploy and a horror show. Reminiscent of Heinz’s green ketchup or nauseating mustard-flavored ice cream, it stands out in an already saturated market by being weird and offensive.
TikTok videos focusing on shakes have become immensely popular, often featuring people sipping it while mouthing “this is a good shake,” only for them to suffer an agonizing death scene soon – this trend even earning itself the designation “sensitive content” by the app itself.
Don’t let the horrifying nature of these videos discourage you from trying the Grimace Birthday Meal’s iconic shake; its popularity is only available for a limited time, and while it might seem pricey at first, if ordered as part of it is less costly than ordering regular shake and double cheeseburger and fries separately from specific locations. Not to mention its taste! Some customers have described it as similar to Fruity Pebbles or strawberry shortcakes.
Is it fun?
McDonald’s honored our favorite childhood character Grimace by offering a celebratory milkshake and meal. After its popularity on social media, this limited-time offering returned for summer as an easy and delicious way to honor this beloved figure from our youths. The purple drink tastes delicious – what better way to keep such a special icon?
Shakes have also become trending for another reason on TikTok; they have become part of a strange TikTok trend where people pretending to die after drinking the shake has taken hold. Each video begins the same: someone takes a sip of a shake before appearing to collapse or die before being cut to an unsettling scene, such as being covered in purple goo. Although somewhat disturbing, this trend remains strangely compelling.
McDonald’s may not have anticipated such an unexpected response when they released the shake, but the company is playing along. On Instagram this week, they posted an up-close photo of Grimace and noted his “incredible taste buds.”
While some customers have reported the shake is delicious, others were less sure. Some have found its vanilla flavors too overpowering, others had trouble picking out any fruity notes, and others noted an almost metallic aftertaste to it.
There are various other methods for making purple shakes at home, from Tasty’s version using berry-flavored syrup to Modern Asian Baking’s one that uses ube syrup (derived from Southeast Asian purple yam) as an ingredient – each will ensure you make one that has its distinct taste!
McDonald’s purple shake is an ideal way to commemorate Grimace Shake’s birthday and is worth trying if you haven’t already! Don’t worry about signing up for an entire meal; purchase just the purple shake at any McDonald’s near you!
