What is Grimace?
The question is pretty short and to the point. What exactly is Grimace, the McDonald’s character? I mean Ronald McDonald is a clown, that’s pretty clear. And the majority of the remaining McDonald’s characters seem to have at least a passing resemblance or relation to McDonald’s food. The Hamburglar is a thief that steals hamburgers. Birdie is a giant bird. Not sure if she produces the eggs for Egg McMuffins or has some relation to Chicken McNuggets, but she’s pretty clearly a bird. Mayor McCheese has an enormous cheeseburger for a head. The Fry Guys look like a wad of French fries. Well, really they look like pom-pons, but at least the have some relationship to french fries, its in their name. Grimace? I guess he likes shakes. Or are they called partially gelatinated non-dairy gum-based beverages?
But what is he? To me he always looked like an enormous gumdrop. According to Wikipedia, he’s a member of the “wumpus” species with short arms and legs. Which begs the question, what’s a wumpus? I mean there must have been some thought process behind the original design. So I looked it up, and it turns out Grimace was not always good, nor did he only have two arms. Here’s visual proof:
The original McDonaldland characters had a more psychedelic look and were based on HR Puf’n’stuf characters. So much so, that they were sued for copyright infringement and McDonald’s paid out a hefty settlement. Certain characters were cited, but Grimace seemed to have escaped the litigation. Why? Maybe because McDonald’s amputated two of his arms and made him into a good guy, thus creating a brand new character that would not be accused of being plagiarized. At least that’s the theory. But it doesn’t really answer the question. What is he? I mean even after his transformation, he must have been intended to resemble something, right? I’ve asked this off other people, but have yet to come to a satisfying conclusion. A couple of theories:
He’s an evil Sith Lord
He’s a Purple People Eater
He’s Charlie Weis
He’s Satan
He’s a professional golfer?
A ladies man?
He’s your Valentine?
He’s Godzilla’s Cousin
This don’t explain anything, but felt appropriate
This is more the answer, which is that there’s no answer
So I put the question forth to the people, What is Grimace?
http://www.flickr.com/photos/therealherlocher/1609328559/
I refer to Clerks the short lived animated series when I say “Nothing can kill the Grimace”
- Hmm .. as stranger as it sounds .. he (or she, how some call it) looks a lot like an eggplant.. but since mcdonlads don have anithing with eggplant on it .. and here in Brasil they call it Shake.. (maybe to just relate with something)
oh.. and birdie is for the nuggets .. she existed before they made the other stuff ..
I think Chick Fil-A’s Cows seem more appropriate to promote Chicken then Birdie does.
grape something like coolaid or jam
He is ronald mcdonalds autistic friend.
Tastebud
Clearly he is an eggplant. You see, vegetarians eat eggplants as a source of protein. Grimace, a giant eggplant, is sad. (That’s why he grimaces.) The subliminal message is that if you are a vegetarian you will be a sad purple blob left out of the fun, just like Grimace.
wow. my fiance wrote a paper questioning this very thing 9 years ago. I will have to tell him about this, & he can post some of the theories he came up with.
I asked this same question to a location manager in Saskatchewan, Canada back in the 90’s, and he told me that Grimace is a TASTEBUD (like, those things on your tongue). I didn’t understand why you would name a tastebud something awful like “Grimace” if you believed that your food was tasty, but I guess it makes more sense if the character used to be evil.
Please look up the definition of what a Grimace is and you will find an answer. For those that won’t look it up:
“Gri*mace”\ (gr[i^]*m[=a]s”), n. [F., prob. of Teutonic origin; cf. AS. gr[imac]ma mask, specter, Icel. gr[imac]ma mask, hood, perh. akin to E. grin.] A distortion of the countenance, whether habitual, from affectation, or momentary aad occasional, to express some feeling, as contempt, disapprobation, complacency, etc.; a smirk; a made-up face.”
Also
“grim⋅ace
/ˈgrɪməs, grɪˈmeɪs/ Show Spelled Pronunciation [grim-uhs, gri-meys] Show IPA Pronunciation
noun, verb, -aced, -ac⋅ing.
–noun
1. a facial expression, often ugly or contorted, that indicates disapproval, pain, etc.”
So now you know why he started as “evil” as well as his triangular figure hangs like cloth mask (I.e. Cobra Commander), and he was always concerned about his “ugly” looks(see the 80’s when Ronald was always trying to cheer him up).
But I also take it that they tossed him in there to make marketing more colorful and appealing to children. All they had was black, white, red and a political figure(McCheese).
Then came the Fry guys in multi-colors(ever saw red, blue or green french fries?) And they brought in Birdie, a female character. Birdie did NOT represent the nuggets, because she was created before Nuggets even exited(nuggets were created in 1984). The McNuggets were created to represent the nuggets.
So the real question is, why were the McNuggets always presented in an egg-carton like box rather then the typical box they’re sold in?(and don’t respond that they just wanted to hide the puppeteers hands).
He’s a milkshake (grape flavour)
I love this article! A great examination of the deep folklore behind McDonaldland, one which anthropologists, archaeologists and cryptozoologists are furiously trying to decipher, to little avail. The photographic evidence is as puzzling as it is startling.
My theory is that “the Evil Grimace” wasn’t intended to be a food character at first, though he had a certain lust for the beverages (or at least the paper cups). Originally having four arms was likely representative of his greed, although two of them were apparently vestigial, and lacked any evolutionary function. Was he only a villain of sorts, spoiler to the goings on in McDonaldland? In later years he retained his vacuous demeanor, but his malice faded away, usurped by the obviously superior master-criminal known as “Hamburgler”.
Over time I believe he came to represent beverages, and chocolate shakes more specifically. The name ‘grimace’ (along with his perpetually dazed personality) may in fact be referential to the expression one makes in the throes of a shake-induced brain-freeze. Grimace became purple instead of brown, probably because they wanted a color that read as cold, but not brown since he would have looked like a giant turd.
Birdy was created to introduce McDonalds’ breakfasts, her proper name is “Birdy the Early Bird”. Also she can’t fly very well, and would invariably crash, relatively unharmed, into various McDonald’s locations. But that’s another story…
You’d have to ask Sid and Marty Krofft. Most of the older characters date back to the period when the Kroffts were doing the McDonald’s commercials.
Mayor McCheese
Big Mac (the police burgerman)
“The pirate guy” (Fillet O’Fish)
The Ham-Burgler
The (long forgotten) mad scientist
The “Happy meal guys” (Hamburger, Soft Drink, and Fries.. all regular size!.. probably the inspiration for Aqua Teen Hunger Force) came after the Krofft era. I can’t remember if the “Fry Guys” showed up before or after that.
The talking McNuggets, and Birdy the Early Bird came much later.
I’ve always thought that Grimace was a walking health warning. He’s “what you’ll become” if you eat at McDonalds a lot. He does look like a heart attack waiting to happen.
heard somewhere that he’s supposed to be the mascot for a bluberry milkshake mcdonalds had back then. and they named him grimace coz that’s what the taste of a blueberry milkshake make you do whic is…grimace
I think Grimace is a bowel movement. Kinda like Mr. Hanky, but a bad one. He’s purple cuz that’s the color of your BM after you eat a Big Mac.
Pretty sure Grimace is a pedophile.
i used to be scared of this dude…don’t tell anybody!
I’m fairly certain Grimace is an enlarged liver…likely due to years of eating at McD’s.
Grimace = Pedobear.
Grimace is a tastebud. The poster before had it right. A giant, purple tastebud.
When I worked at McD’s I was told by my manager that when you drink a shake too fast you grimace and possibly see spots (or purple blobs as it were) so Grimace is a physical manifestion of a brain freeze.
I think he’s the grape jelly that comes with every mcdonald’s reakfast meal…
KK, I’ve worked at mcd’s for 3 years and I’ve been told that he is a milkshake…Not sure how, but that’s what I’ve been told.
I heard a radio show on WRCT (pittsburgh) ask this question about 15 years ago. I called my local mc donalds and the manager explained this to me.
Each mc donalds land character represents a different portion of the menu. Birdie –breakfast, hamburgler –burgers, etc. Grimace represents the frozen dessert menu items. His name Grimace recalls the facial reaction to “brain freeze” and his shape is sorta like a milkshake splurting into a cup.
dunno why he’s purple tho. but I’d guess brown (chocolate) and white (vanilla) didn’t look right. And strawberry wasn’t everywhere for a while.
I always heard and thought it was a taste bud.
Does it truly matter? All you really need to know about the Grimace is that nothing can kill it.
NOTHING.
Clearly, he is digested food…i.e. you grimace when you poop. You’re welcome.
Seriously, why do people think that a Manager at McDonalds is some sort of authority? WTF is that? As if he graduated with a History of McDonald’s Degree from the Ronald McDonald House or something.
I think he represents a needy character. Like Eeyore, we find him gloomy, morose. He needs a pick-me-up. Enter Ronald: “What’s the matter, Grimace?”. Grimace says something like: “Oh, blah blah, I feel bad, blah blah nobody likes me, blah blah, wife’s on the rag boo hoo…”. so Ronald dutifully produces a frosty milk shake treat. Suddenly Grimace feels much better, and receptive to some awful pun before a cut to an announcer with a nuts and bolts description of the product: “Cool, delicious McDonald’s shake. Vanilla, strawberry or chocolate starting at $1…”
Grimace is the suffering bastard in all of us.
Grimace is McDonald’s token black character. He’s one of the ones that are so black they are purple. Blurple,if you will. He defines what McDonalds will do to blacks that eat at Mickey D’s every day. Turn them into Gelatinous blobs who can barely walk they grimace with every step……
Why is speling a sucha preblem fro peple comenting hear?
Google “grimace has a day off” might be NSFW.
@ Winter:
The pirate guy was called “Cap’n Cook” and he spent all his time fishing for filet’o'fish sandwiches, using a wooden sword as a fishing rod.
The fry guys were originally a nuisance/villain of McDonaldland. They were called Gobblins in 1972 and were notorious for gobbling up all the fries. The were shelved for about a decade before they were resurrected in the mid-80’s as the more benign “fry-guys”.
I never could figure out what the hell grimace was supposed to be, but I remember in the late 70’s and early 80’s he had a politically incorrect Irish uncle used to promote minty green milkshakes every march.
I’ve always thought that Grimace is a mountain.
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Grimace is clearly an eggplant. In the early years, while testing new flavours and ideas to appeal to children, the mcpowers that be came up with an eggplant flavoured milkshake. This milkshake caused the children to grimace when ingesting.
He’s a tastebud.
Grimace is the cholesterol that clots your blood vessels.
Interestingly enough, I had this same question running through my head back in early 1991. I’d applied to transfer and attend Southern Methodist University in Dallas – not the world’s cheapest college – and being young and dumb, decided to make “What is Grimace?” the subject of my required entrance essay.
I don’t know what it says about the admissions people of the time, but I got accepted and was granted an academic scholarship that paid for my junior and senior years of college. I’ve got to thank Grimace’s ambiguity for getting me into and through college. God bless ya, Grimace!
Unfortunately, I still have no clue what Grimace is after all these years.
[...] Question: What is Grimace? [...]
if you look at the western ky university mascot, he’s just a red grimmace. they call him a hilltopper. so grimmace must be a hilltopper, whatever the hell that is.
[...] Here’s visual proof. Bookmark to: [...]
He’s a tastebud..
A giant purple butt plug
Grimace is a milk shake. Named for the facial expression made when you get brain freeze from drinking it too fast.
i think he’s just a regular person who ate mcdonalds all their life.. watch out kids
I think Grimace is a rancid mcnugget. I’ve seen some dark mcnuggets in my day
About 15 years ago I called McDonalds corporate office to ask this very question. Apparently Grimace represents milkshakes. He was a creature that lived in a cave and Ronald McDonald lured him out with McDonalds milkshakes and they became friends.
So, basically, it’s between a milkshake and a tastebud. Either way, I don’t think the name “Grimace” is a very good way to promote their food. The milkshake theory, yeah, you could get a brain freeze, but that’s still unpleasant. They’re like, “Hey. We might be talking about one of our beverages, or your own fucking tastebud, but either way, you’re going to grimace with unpleasantness.” Stupid McDonalds. WHY DID YOU START ADDING BACON TO YOUR $1 CHEESEBURGERS FOR LIKE 25 CENTS? I’M ALREADY FAT!
Whenever purple food is mentioned, I always think back to my childhood when the newfangled “TV dinners” came with a blob of purple something for dessert. It was kinda shaped like Grimace, too. Whatever-the-hell it was, it sure tasted like crap, even to an 8-year-old excited about eating purple dessert. Those TV dinners were some of the worst food products ever made. Mickey D’s tasted great compared to those things. Boy, that sure was a long time ago.
Grimace is what you’ll look like if you eat at McDonald’s.
[...] What the hell is Grimace? (Gunaxin) [...]
I’m with Jeremy, I have always said Grimace is you after McDonnalds. They just decided to show it in purple for us not to notice… But I know… we know…
I vote tastebud, but here’s an alternative theory…
As McDonalds has been the purveyor of fine Irish-American cuisine (see the Mc in front of the D, that’s Irish). Grimace is the figment of a hangover combined with the after effect of eating McD’s.
The McD’s crew hangs out with a known felon (for burglarizing hamburgers) aka “the hamburglar.” The fry guys are juvenile delinquents in with the hamburglar as his crones, Birdie is always crashing her plane due to being in a McD’s coma while flying, Ronald has perma-grin and Mayor McCheese does nothing about this. Sounds like NYC.
I think Grimace was created from an acid trip by McDonald Management.
he’s a blood clot.
You all SUCK ASS eat a weiner. every last one of you fucktards
Maybe he is he is the meat on the hamburger..?
I always thought he was just a purple pine tree. I just remember the commercials and it seemed like everything was talking so I just figured he was a talking tree…that was purple. Thankfully I’ve been able to not have to work at mcdonalds so I don’t really know what he is. I guess I’ll just go with what others are saying that he’s the personification of the effect of brainfreeze. Kinda makes the purple pine tree thought sound logical.
Do you guys remember the McDonald’s Moon Guy though? I think he was all about you eating big macs late at night.
Tastebud is correct. I know a ton of people that work at McDonalds and this is the answer they always get from corporate.
Grimace is the shit Ronald Mcdonald shat out and when he looked at it he made a Grimace. Hence the name Grimace.
[...] 7 – What is Grimace? – Gunaxin [...]
My trust rusty Page-a-Day trivia calendar states that Grimace, is in fact, a tastebud. Bit of a let down, really…
he is my hero of all black head mysteries…a sloth of [puss that i luv!!!
i think he is a FISTER……..AKA MR. FISTERHEIMERVICH
tastebud!
According to Gus of the show “Psych”, Grimace is a brother. His full name is “Grimace T. Jackson”.
He is what happens when the milkshake dispensers malfunction, a mixture of vanilla, chocolate and strawberry that piles together into fat, purple, amorphous, touchy feely ,molester being.
He’s a purple pickle
Back in the 80’s I always assumed he was just an upset stomach, cause he was sorta shaped like one and his name was grimace.
I’m pretty sure that’s Jodie Foster in the original Grimace commercial.
Grimace is obviously a big purple butt-plug
grimace is very obviously supposed to be the lord creator of mcdonalds land. He is the god of the old testament. At times creating and destroying. At the moment we are in a period creation on behalf of grimace. the former period of destruction is seen by the commercial. With the multiple arms,Grimace like the Hindu god Shiva has the ability to destroy. His transformation into a two armed being shows that he is a mere mortal who walks among us. I predict that in the future Grimace will regain his lost arms and begin a period of creation.
Clearly Grimace is the father of the Cookie Monster, who ran away from home at a very early age and lived in a shelter on Sesame Street. Cookie was able to withstand the draw of fast food, which had clearly robbed his father of his once trim physique, but the lure of cookies sweet goodness was more than he could control. It’s really quite the American tragedy.
I have it on good authority that Grimass is a runaway from the Barbapapa household. A shapeshifter. A killer. And an eater of cheese. He is everyman, and no man. A scoundrel, but a virgin. He is French, yet behaves like a Swede. Think of him as Russian, with a brain like a German, and you will understand him. Think of him as a connoisseur of fine meats, though, and you will not.
Also, what kind of voice is he doing in the “evil Grimace” commercial? I mean, I’ve heard that voice before on a ton of cartoon characters. If I was the voice director, what would I tell an actor if I wanted him to make that voice? Like, what’s the official term for that specific characterization?
i always fought that grimace was a big chicken nugget since he was evil he was off? i dnt know
He is inside of us but when its time to use the toilet he is in the bowl. When this is the case a man in black tried to stop it and make sure that everyone can share the love but when the man in black mutated this “THING” he made a big mistake and gave it a name and a job giving it a damn good reason to live.
Grimace is a small purple child which was abused and misused when of the age of 10 leaving him to think of the cold hands of his 2 gay mexican dads touching every small hole and crevas known to man. After 10 more years of this he ranaway from home became what the local mexicans call Le’ LecasGrimasso. Mr. McDonald found the boy adopted him to the Mac foundation and used him to get small kids to poke his puffy belly on the weekends and sometimes the holidays.
He is the super soldier syrum experiment that found a escape out of AREA 51 (which actually exist) between the border of mexico and the southern part of America. Grimace found a way out and only wanted to go back to his normal life (working in McDonalds for 7.45 and hour for 4 hours a day. This is the truth cause i am the man who worked on the project (there was no project).
There was no EXPRIMENT!!!!!!!!!!
No when i say there isn’t but when im itchy i scratch it.
(Extract from the diary Grimace Christopher O’Reilly)
15th June 1932
As I was strolling casually down the avenue earlier this evening, a man in a brightly colored costume of the strangest design, seeming to be made predominantly of some sort of red and yellow material, came up to me with a proposition of most peculiar sorts. It seemed he wanted me to work for him, but unfortunately he wouldn’t be opening a shop for some forty odd years so I would have to travel in his time machine which he kept in his back yard. Needless to say I accepted.
16th June 1932
I am about to leave for this new life, but to make sure I will have this diary in the future I will hide it in an Incan Monastery behind the tourist information centre. I don’t know what to expect in 1970 but I’m jolly excited.
22nd August 1970
I’ve retrieved my diary from where I deposited it yesterday but unfortunately I can no longer write in it. At the moment my Mysterious employer I now know as “Ronald” Is writing as I talk to him.
There were some unfortunate side effects to the time travel. I seem to now be made of some sort of soft cushiony substance and my mouth is shrinking, even as I talk my mouth is shrinking. I fear I will never be able to talk again . . .
(The rest of this account is written by on Ronald McDonald of New Hampshire as Grimace has now turned into a walking purple blob)
Grimace has been happy since that day, working non – stop with zero pay, and the best thing is he can’t do anything about it BECAUSE HE CANT TALK. HA HA HA> MWA HA HA HA HAAAAAAAA
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