Grimace was introduced by McDonald’s in 1971 as the chain’s purple, milkshake-like mascot.
The character originally had a more complicated design and was associated with stealing milkshakes. McDonald’s later simplified Grimace’s appearance and personality, turning him into a friendly, large purple character who enjoyed food and joined Ronald McDonald in the brand’s family-oriented advertising.
Grimace belonged to the McDonaldland group of characters, which gave McDonald’s a recognizable cast for television commercials, restaurant appearances, packaging, and promotional products. His design was deliberately simple and highly visible, making the character easy for children to recognize.
People sometimes confuse Grimace with the Hamburglar because both were recurring McDonaldland figures. Their roles were different: Grimace became a friendly companion, while the Hamburglar was defined by his comic attempts to take hamburgers.