It’s purple, viral and on sale in a chain near you
For those well versed in the world of fast food it is pretty common knowledge that different McDonald’s in different countries have varying menu options.
This is often to the delight of the travelling tourist, and the USA is the ultimate McDonald’s menu destination.
So when the vivid, purple drink hit restaurants today after making the hop across the pond to the UK, the fanfare is only natural.
As part of its 50th birthday celebrations in the UK, the golden arches have introduced a selection of new items to celebrate, one of which will be familiar with those who enjoy fast food social media.
This is of course the viral, and very purple, Grimace Shake which only debuted in The States in June 2023.
The Milkshake is a vivid purple colour and is named after one of McDonald’s lesser known mascots, Grimace the milkshake thieving, purple blob who is supposedly the embodiment of a milkshake or a taste-bud.
The character was introduced in 1971 in McDonaldland and was known as Evil Grimace, however the ‘Evil’ part of his name was dropped a year later and the character was changed from clumsy to friendly.
In McDonald’s lore, yes that exists, he is Ronald McDonald’s best friend.
Upon the release of the Grimace Shake last year, an odd TikTok trend followed that saw people sip the drink and pretend to faint for whatever reason.
Many social media users now refer to the drink as the ‘infamous Grimace Shake’.
Even a few celebrities took to the internet to share their thoughts with Friends star Courteney Cox sharing a video in which she joked her dog had drank some, turning it into a Grimace-like purple creature.
Many have pondered over the flavour of the vibrant shake, but McDonald’s UK says it features a blueberry flavoured syrup which is blended with a creamy milkshake base to create the “perfect purple combination”.
It’s a Blueberry Milkshake.
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The drink is available from today in UK restaurants, however those tempted will have to be fast as the shake will be available for one week only unitl 3 September.
The milkshake costs £2.69 for a medium and £2.99 for a large, being available in restaurant, through the McDonald’s app, at the drive-thru or via McDelivery.
The Grimace Shake comes as just one of a multitude of new limited edition additions to the menu to celebrate McDonald’s 50th birthday in the UK.
Other items on the menu include the Double Big Mac, a birthday doughnut and a Milkybar Mcflurry.
Meanwhile next month will see the return of a few fan favourites, including the Philly Cheese Stack and the Chicken Big Mac, while McDonald’s Monopoly is set to make its return on the 4 September.
Social image credit: Coughdrop12/Wikimedia Commons
