COMEDY

Why is the McDonald's Grimace meal so expensive? Here's what you can buy instead

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

Would you pay $21 for a Big Mac, fries and a purple shake?

Grimace is a character featured in McDonaldland commercials and is Ronald McDonald’s best friend, according to the McDonald’s Wiki website. But what is he exactly? A large, rotund tastebud.

For his Gemini birthday on June 12, Grimace got his own meal combo, complete with a purple birthday shake. McDonald’s is also celebrating by launching new Grimace merch, a browser game and a charity campaign for the Ronald McDonald House.

“It’s a birthday meal to celebrate the lovable purple guy Grimace,” McDonald’s said on their website.

Here’s what people are saying about the McDonald’s Grimace meal and what you could buy instead for the same price.

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How much does the Grimace meal cost?

Different McDonald’s locations across the country on Monday were selling the debut meal anywhere from $9 to $21. McDonald’s customers went straight to social media platforms to call attention to the unexpectedly high prices.

One TikTok user was told in the McDoanld's drive-through by an employee that they were not allowed to sell the meal until the next day. The price on the screen for the meal was $18.38.

“There’s something wrong with the pricing,” the employee said over the drive-through speaker. “That’s the reason why–the overprice. So we’re not allowed to sell it.”

A Twitter user posted a picture of the meal listing in the McDonald’s app priced at $17.18, saying the price is “truly abominable.” In the tweet’s comment section, the user called Grimace a “class traitor.”

Another Twitter user’s local McDonald’s had the meal listed for $21.08 and tweeted “hey what the fart is wrong with the grimace meal price im laughing so loud at this.”

What can you buy instead of Grimace's Birthday Meal?

If the Grimace meal price doesn’t feel worth it to you, here are some things you could put your money toward instead: