Which McDonald’s character was originally presented as a milkshake thief?

Evil Grimace was originally presented as a milkshake thief.

When Grimace debuted in 1971, the character was not the friendly purple companion familiar from later McDonald’s advertising. The original version, called Evil Grimace, had four arms and was portrayed as a nuisance who stole milkshakes. McDonald’s subsequently changed the character’s personality and appearance.

The redesign removed the villainous emphasis and turned Grimace into a large, simple purple figure with a more welcoming role in the McDonaldland cast. This change made the character more suitable for family advertising and reduced the risk that children would associate the brand with a threatening or unpleasant figure.

The Hamburglar is another McDonald’s character associated with stealing, which creates a common mix-up. The Hamburglar targeted hamburgers, while the original Evil Grimace was specifically associated with taking milkshakes.