Grimace was introduced by McDonald’s in 1971 as a purple character associated with stealing milkshakes.
The character originally appeared as a clumsy, mischievous figure with four arms who took customers’ milkshakes. McDonald’s later redesigned Grimace into the large, friendly purple mascot most audiences recognize today, reducing the number of arms and giving him a gentler personality.
Grimace became part of McDonaldland, the fictional advertising world used by McDonald’s to connect its food and restaurants with recurring characters. His rounded appearance and simple design made him especially recognizable in television commercials, signage, and promotional products.
The character is sometimes confused with the Hamburglar, another McDonaldland figure. The Hamburglar was associated with stealing hamburgers, whereas Grimace’s early advertising role centered on milkshakes. Grimace later became a more general friend and companion of Ronald McDonald.