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Move over, Shamrock Shake! McDonald’s newest concoction is the Grimace Shake, in honor of the fast food chain’s iconic giant purple plushie. Since its release as part of a weeks-long celebration of Grimace’s Birthday, the purple shake with whipped cream has got TikTok going mad, and not necessarily because they’re lovin’ it.
The recent viral trend features people wishing Grimace a happy birthday and taking a sip of the new berry-flavored shake. Eventually, those who took a sip end up appearing passed out, possessed, or dead, with the vibrant shake spilled all over them.
The craze has sparked a multitude of TikTok creators to pursue their own artistic impulses, which are quite creative and frequently veer into gruesome territory. While some take a more light-hearted approach, such as the following Batman-oriented video…
… others involve more dramatic and horrifying effects.
Here’s one that’s got some major Hereditary / Ari Aster vibes:
Here’s TikTok superstar Zach King (77 million followers!) jumping on it:
This one goes places you’re not going to expect:
One of the co-creators of the previous TikTok, Jonathon Erwin, told USA Today, “We wanted it so it kind of was cinematic, in a way that made it not just your normal TikTok.”
While the trend has granted some TikTokers millions of views and likes, there are mixed reactions toward the shake-induced spectacle. Those participating often think it’s hilarious, playing off of Grimace’s name with comments such as “the grime scene,” whereas others find the whole thing disturbing and unfunny, writing, “the grimace shake trend on tiktok went from a silly little joke to full on horror in just a few days.”
Grimace has seemingly “taken over” McDonald’s’ social media accounts since June 5th, a week before Grimace’s Birthday Meal was released on June 12. The official Mickey D’s Instagram has changed its bio to “grimace here lol,” while their Twitter’s bio says, “this is grimace btw :),”
In response to the trend, McDonald’s tweeted out the following Tweet, featuring Grimace “pretending [not to] see the grimace shake trendd.”
The fast food chain’s latest combo deal was meant to honor the character Grimace, originally named “Evil Grimace” when launched in 1972, whose origins and appearance have long been disputed. He has been most commonly said to be a milkshake or an enlarged taste bud.
A McDonald’s spokesperson recently told People, “Whether he’s a taste bud, a milkshake or just your favorite purple blob – the best part about Grimace is that he means different things to different people.”
They continued, “Whatever he is, we’re just proud our bestie makes people happy.”
The meal is available for a limited time and includes your choice of a Big Mac or 10-piece McNuggets, medium fries, and of course, a medium Grimace’s Birthday Shake.
