Grimace was the McDonaldland character originally called the Evil Grimace.
When Grimace first appeared, the character was portrayed as a villain who stole milkshakes. The design and personality later changed, and Grimace became a friendly, clumsy purple companion associated with McDonald’s advertising.
This evolution is a notable example of McDonald’s branding changing a character to make it more suitable for children and family audiences. The later version is far more familiar than the original villainous portrayal.
Grimace is sometimes confused with the Hamburglar because both began as characters with mischievous behavior. The Hamburglar remained associated with stealing hamburgers, while Grimace’s early storyline centered on milkshakes.