FOOD

McDonald's celebrates Grimace's birthday with meal, purple berry-flavored shake out Monday

Mike Snider
USA TODAY

Grimace is being celebrated at McDonald's with a special birthday meal, topped off by a new purple milkshake.

Just a few weeks ago, McDonald's announced the return of one of its classic characters, the Hamburglar. Now, the bulbous Grimace has returned too.

It's all part of a Grimace birthday celebration, beginning Monday, which includes a limited-edition Grimace Birthday Meal, which comes with either a Big Mac or 10-piece Chicken McNuggets, fries – and the new purple berry-flavored shake. The meal is available at participating restaurants, while supplies last. Most restaurants will also sell you the shake separately.

Birthdays have been a part of McDonald's for decades – some may remember redeeming their free McDonald's birthday meal postcard as kids.

"We're using that heritage that the brand has with people, but also want to connect with youth of today," said JJ Healan, vice president, U.S. marketing, brand, content & culture for McDonald's.

and a new purple berry-flavored shake, is available beginning June 12 at participating restaurants, while supplies last.

Activities on tap for McDonald's Grimace birthday celebration

The Grimace birthday celebration goes beyond the restaurant:

◾ Merchandise. Customers can buy Grimace merchandise including T-shirts and socks at McDonald's online merchandise site.

◾ Games. A Grimace video game arrives June 12 on desktop and mobile. "It's reminiscent of games from the '90s," Healan said. "Grimace actually goes on this journey with his McDonaldland friends."

◾ Social media and charity. When McDonald's fans post a birthday memory June 13-14 on McDonald’s Instagram story (use the "add yours" sticker), the company will donate $5 to the Ronald McDonald House Charities, up to $200,000 total.

"There's a lot of really cool layers to the campaign overall" in the effort to "connect with our fans to drive the brand in culture, as we are on our journey to make McDonald's a cultural icon," Healan said. "What better way to celebrate birthdays and actually give one of our favorite McDonaldland characters a spotlight for June."

What's everyone talking about? Sign up for our trending newsletter to get the latest news of the day

McDonald's reintroducing characters such as Grimace and Hamburglar to new Gen Z audience

The fast-food chain has been giving some of its classic characters more face time lately. The Hamburglar is shepherding McDonald's campaign to improve its burgers.

And some classic characters from the ’70s and ’80s made appearances last year when McDonald's partnered with Cactus Plant Flea Market on a Happy Meal for adults, with collectible toys including Grimace, the Hamburglar and Birdie the Early Bird.

"So if you think about that experience of unlocking your childhood joy when you had a Happy Meal, that's the nostalgia piece," Healan said.

Partnering with Cactus Plant Flea Market made sense because "Gen Z knows who that is. That was a perfect combination of nostalgia and putting the brand in culture with a partner who connects with Gen Z."

McDonald's villain the Hamburglar is back. And he's hunting what the fast-food giant says are more flavorful burgers with better buns and cheese.

More new McDonald's menu items? A Cheesy Jalapeño Bacon Quarter Pounder coming next month?

McDonald's is already in the process of improving its burgers with a saucier Big Mac, softer sandwich buns, toasted golden brown, "perfectly melted cheese," and caramelized onions.

It apparently has a new burger coming to the menu soon, with two sites reporting a Cheesy Jalapeño Bacon Quarter Pounder could hit menus this summer. The food site Chew Boom said the burger would be available as a single or double, with three strips of bacon, pickled jalapeños and cheese sauce, along with two slices of cheese on a sesame seed bun. The menu item has been tested at some locations in Texas, the site reports.

Another site, The Krazy Coupon Lady, reports that when the burger arrives you will be able to order cheesy sauce and jalapeño slices on the side with any order.

McDonald's declined to comment about the new burger to USA TODAY, but we will stay vigilant on the burger beat in the days ahead.

More from USA TODAY

Follow Mike Snider on Twitter: @mikesnider.