Is McDonald’s Grimace Shake returning? Fans are craving last year’s viral treat

Well, we hope Ronald McDonald at least got him a birthday card.

On June 12, Grimace, the lovably purple McDonaldland mascot who has fully captured the nation’s hearts, threw out the first pitch at a New York Mets game at Citi Field in Queens, New York.

While this in itself is a momentous occasion, fans online are speculating that Grimace received this honor to celebrate his birthday.

On June 12, 2023, McDonald’s launched the vanilla and berry-flavored Grimace Birthday Shake with a rollout that depicted the voluptuous violet vamp in a bevy of birthday party scenes. The Grimace Shake went viral on TikTok, but this year is looking a little less plum-colored, leaving fans wondering if the Grimace Birthday Shake is truly part of the restaurant’s ever-expanding lore.

Although McDonald’s has not confirmed the exact date of Grimace’s birthday, last year’s product launch would imply that it falls sometime around June 12 — a day that should be celebrated every year.

While McDonald’s USA has yet to reintroduce the Grimace Shake on its menu, its counterpart to the north has. On May 13, McDonald’s Canada confirmed that the Grimace Shake would be offered on Canadian menus for a limited time at participating restaurants.

A birthday party from Grimace's past. (Courtesy McDonald's)
A birthday party from Grimace's past. (Courtesy McDonald's)

Representatives for McDonald’s USA did not immediately respond to TODAY.com’s request for comment on whether or not the shake is coming back.

“wheres my grimace shake ??,” demanded one user on X.

“@Mcdonalds BRING BACK THE GRIMMACE SHAKE AND MY LIFE IS YOURS!!!” begged another.

“The Grimace shake TikTok trend was one of my all time favorite social media moments,” remarked another on X.

“My daughter was under the impression the grimace shake was back. It’s not, yet,” added another hopeful soul.

“It’s grimaces birthday drop the shake Ronald,” wrote one user in the Instagram comments of a post about McDonald’s Grandma McFlurry, which the chain introduced in May.

“hmmm funny this doesn’t look like the grimace shake….” wrote another Instagram commenter, and another added, “Where’s grimace:(.”

For consumers who are aching for a cool berry treat to beat the heat, McDonald’s competitor Wendy’s announced its new limited-edition Triple Berry Frosty.

The chain dropped the sweet sipper on June 12, which may or may not be purposeful from a company known for shading other fast food spots, including the House of Ronald.

This article was originally published on TODAY.com