Grimace was the large purple McDonald's character introduced in 1971.
Grimace became part of the McDonaldland cast, a group of fictional characters created for McDonald's advertising. His simple shape, purple color, and friendly personality made him visually distinct from Ronald McDonald and the other characters.
Early descriptions of Grimace portrayed him differently from the friendly figure widely recognized today. He was initially associated with stealing or taking milkshakes before the character was softened into a more lovable companion.
Grimace is sometimes confused with the Hamburglar because both characters were associated with food-related antics. The Hamburglar, however, was a separate character known for trying to steal hamburgers.