McDonald's Manager Reveals Grimace's Identity and the Internet Can't Handle It
He’s a what?!
Eugene Gologursky/Getty
Grimace has been a key player in the universe of McDonald’s characters that also includes figures like a clown named Ronald McDonald, a politician and cheeseburger dubbed Mayor McCheese, and a burger thief known as the Hamburglar, but no one really knows what the giant purple blob is. Until now.
In an interview last week with the CBC, Brian Bates, the manager of a McDonald’s in Canada, spilled the beans regarding Grimace’s true identity. “He is an enormous taste bud, but a taste bud nonetheless,” Bates, who previously worked at seven different McDonald’s locations, revealed.
While McDonald’s has largely remained mum on who or what Grimace is, the company’s official Twitter account seemingly confirmed Bates’ assertion back in 2014 when a follower asked about Grimace’s backstory. “Great question! #Grimace lore says he is the embodiment of a milkshake or a taste bud,” the Golden Arches tweeted in response. “What do you think? #AskAnArchivist.”
Two years earlier, in 2012, the McDonald’s Twitter account once again took a stab at Grimace’s origin story in response to another curious customer. “Grimace is the embodiment of a milkshake, though others still insist he's a taste bud. :),” the world’s largest fast-food chain replied.
Though Grimace’s exact identity still isn’t clear, Bates’ comments have seemingly downplayed the theory that Grimace — a hairy, purple teardrop-shaped figure with hands and feet — is the “embodiment of a milkshake.”
Still, Twitter users can’t exactly get behind the idea that Grimace — whose name means an expression of disgust — is a massive taste bud, either. “My entire world view has been upended. I mean, I never knew what the hell Grimace was, but I didn't think it was THIS,” one Twitter user wrote. Another shared: “[I] liked it better when I had no idea what Grimace was.”
For others, the fact that Grimace is a taste bud simply doesn’t make sense. “GRIMACE IS A TASTE BUD????,” a third user asked. “You tellin me that juicy boi lives in my tongue???” Another shared an interesting take, writing, “Nevermind ‘What is Grimace?’, how about WHY is he named ‘Grimace’?? A grimace is the face you make when you're disgusted by something.... not exactly what I'd want to associate with food.”
Are you surprised to learn about Grimace’s origins?
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