Grimace was introduced by McDonald’s in 1971 as a purple character associated with milkshakes.
The earliest version of Grimace was portrayed as a villainous character with multiple arms who stole milkshakes. McDonald’s soon changed the design and personality, making Grimace a friendly, large purple companion for Ronald McDonald and the other McDonaldland characters.
That evolution explains why descriptions of Grimace can differ across historical sources and images. The character’s name is linked to a facial expression, but McDonald’s branding made the visual design—purple color, rounded body, and friendly demeanor—more important than a detailed backstory. Grimace became one of the chain’s most recognizable advertising characters.