Grimace was originally associated with stealing milkshakes before McDonald’s redesigned the character.
When Grimace first appeared in McDonald’s advertising in the early 1970s, he was presented as a less friendly character with multiple arms who took milkshakes. The concept gave the mascot a direct connection to a menu item, but it was more menacing than the friendly image later used for children’s marketing.
McDonald’s subsequently simplified Grimace’s design and changed his personality. The familiar version is a large, purple, good-natured companion who appears alongside Ronald McDonald and other McDonaldland characters.
This history explains why modern descriptions of Grimace can be inconsistent. Some sources emphasize the original milkshake-thief role, while others focus on the later friendly mascot. The two descriptions refer to different stages of the same character’s branding history.