Grimace was the purple, furry friend of Ronald McDonald.
McDonald’s introduced Grimace in the early 1970s as part of its expanding group of advertising characters. He was a large, purple figure whose simple appearance made him easy for children to recognize. In later portrayals, Grimace was friendly, playful, and often shown sharing food or joining Ronald’s adventures.
The character’s original concept was different from the familiar friendly version. Early advertising depicted Grimace with more than one pair of arms and a role connected with stealing milkshakes. McDonald’s later simplified the design and personality, turning him into a companion rather than a villainous or troublesome figure.
Grimace belongs to the same fictional advertising world as Ronald McDonald, Birdie, and the Hamburglar. He is not the company’s original mascot: that role was held by Speedee. The purple color and rounded silhouette became Grimace’s defining branding features.