Fans have been left in disbelief after McDonald’s finally revealed the true identity of one of its iconic characters, solving a mystery that has persisted for decades.
Richard and Maurice McDonald, the brothers who established the fast-food empire, opened their first ‘carhop’ drive-in restaurant in San Bernardino, California, in 1940.
Throughout the following decade, with the assistance of businessman Ray Kroc, the McDonald brothers transformed their burger business into a national franchise. Their signature Golden Arches have since become a global symbol, with McDonald’s locations in nearly every corner of the world more than eighty years later.
In the 1960s, the company introduced a range of family-friendly mascots, beginning with Ronald McDonald, the ‘Hamburger-Happy Clown,’ who debuted in television commercials. At the height of his popularity, around 300 full-time clowns were employed at McDonald’s restaurants.
Soon after, other characters were introduced, including the Hamburglar, Birdie the Early Bird, the Fry Kids, the McNugget Buddies, the Happy Meal Gang, and the mysterious purple character known as Grimace.
Initially called ‘Evil Grimace’ in 1971, this purple character was part of the McDonaldland crew and was known for using his four arms to steal milkshakes.
Over time, Grimace’s public image evolved from an evil figure to a friendly companion of Ronald McDonald. However, the question of what Grimace actually is has remained unanswered for many years.
The fast-food giant has now revealed that Grimace is, surprisingly, a large, anthropomorphic taste bud.
Interestingly, McDonald’s seemed uncertain about Grimace’s backstory, tweeting in 2012 that he might be ‘the embodiment of a milkshake,’ while others believed he could indeed be a taste bud. Some executives described him as a ‘blob of a sweetheart.’
The revelation came to light when a McDonald’s manager in Windsor, Canada, casually mentioned it in an interview with CBC News after being honored as Outstanding Manager of the Year.
Brian Bates explained, “He is an enormous taste bud, but a taste bud nonetheless,” adding that Grimace is meant to show that McDonald’s food tastes good.
The decision to reimagine Grimace as a more friendly character came after it was realized that his original appearance was too intimidating for children.
“The original Grimace was scaly, mean‑looking, had four arms, and had no charm whatsoever,” recalled McDonald’s former vice‑president of advertising, Roy T. Bergold Jr., in QSR magazine.
“He scared kids. We changed him to a soft, plush, two-armed blob of a sweetheart who only wanted McDonald’s milkshakes and to hang out with Ronald.”
The revelation has left McDonald’s fans astonished, as many have awaited an explanation for Grimace’s origins for years.
When Grimace ‘took over’ McDonald’s social media accounts in 2023 to announce his birthday celebrations, featuring limited edition purple shakes and merchandise, one fan questioned: “Why is Grimace a taste bud and not a purple chicken nugget?”
Another surprised fan asked: “BTW why didn’t you tell me in the 80s Grimace is a TASTEBUD?!”
In response to questions about Grimace’s nature, a fan inquired, “And you’re suuuure he’s not still evil?” McDonald’s replied: “He is a super chill guy now.”
UNILAD has reached out to McDonald’s for additional comments.