June 2023: This Viral McDonald's Shake Came Out

Where were you on June 12, 2023? You might not remember. It was three years ago, after all, and time has felt pretty hazy for the last half-decade in the aftermath of the most intense period of the COVID-19 pandemic. If you’re a food fan, though, or a McDonald’s fan, or a combination of both, you might have this date etched in your memory.

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Why? Because that was the day that the Grimace Shake landed – and it was with us for but a brief moment before being snatched away. Let’s focus on that initial release, though. To Grimace.

The Grimace Shake…Remind Me What That Was?

McDonald’s Grimace Shake was a berry-flavored purple milkshake, released in honor of the chain’s lesser-used mascot, Grimace. Grimace himself was introduced back in 1971, but the purple blob (I don’t dub him that to be mean, he is, quite literally, a blob) was fairly underused in the half-century before the Grimace Shake landed.

Then, on June 12, 2023, that all changed. Grimace’s Birthday Meal was released, which featured a Big Mac or a ten-piece nuggets with fries, along with the shake. The Shake was originally on sale until July 9.

And People Liked It?

People really liked it. As ever with a McDonald’s release (or any food release), some detractors and customers didn’t enjoy it, with the main criticism being that it tasted artificial and too sweet – but by and large, folks got on board. Some people on Reddit stated that it should be a permanent menu item, and liked the fact that McDonald’s was doing something different. Its viral success also didn’t hurt its popularity: Its eye-catching appearance drove swathes to the Camera app on their phones to film a quick TikTok video and post it online.

Okay…Then What Happened?

Well, on July 9, the Grimace Shake disappeared – and as of June 2026, it hasn’t reappeared on US menus. Instead, it’s been on an international tour for the last three years. The Grimace Shake first landed in Canada in 2024, then in the UK (where it subsequently returned later in the year) and Ireland, and then in other countries in Asia and Europe. Most recently, McDonald’s dropped Grimace merch in Singapore and a Grimace burger (and the shake itself) in Germany.

But in the US…nothing. Nada. A Grimace-less existence. It’s not unreasonable to suspect that it’ll only be a matter of time until it comes back. But when? Who knows.