Grimace is McDonald’s purple, oversized mascot introduced in the early 1970s.
The character first appeared in McDonald’s advertising as a less friendly figure associated with stealing milkshakes. The company later changed Grimace into the cheerful, child-oriented character most audiences recognize: a large purple companion of Ronald McDonald.
That redesign illustrates how McDonald’s branding adapted its fictional characters for family marketing. Grimace’s unusual shape and simple personality made him visually distinct from the human-like Ronald and the mischievous Hamburglar.
People sometimes describe Grimace as a milkshake, taste bud, or other specific object, but McDonald’s public character descriptions have varied over time. The stable branding fact is his name, purple appearance, large rounded form, and role in the McDonaldland cast.