McDonald’s Just Released a New Shake for the First Time in 5 Years

And the purple flavor might surprise you.

Chances are, you’ve attended at least one birthday party at the McDonald’s PlayPlace—maybe you’ve even scored one of its legendary birthday cakes—but regardless, you probably know that birthdays are serious business at Mickey D’s. 

So, when McDonald’s decides to honor the birthday of one of its most beloved old-school characters, Grimace, it's doing it in style. That means not only with a delicious meal deal but also with the legendary launch of its first-ever purple shake.

For the first time in five years, McDonald’s is releasing a new flavor on its shake menu called the Grimace Shake, “inspired by Grimace’s iconic color and sweetness,” per the official press release. 

Grimace, the large, lovable purple icon (and Ronald McDonald’s best friend) is a favorite of the McDonald’s characters, and it only makes sense that he’d be represented by a purple shake. We couldn’t tell you what Grimace actually is (some speculate either a milkshake or a giant taste bud), but we can tell you his birthday special is one you won’t want to miss. 

Starting June 12th, you can try the Grimace Shake as part of Grimace’s birthday meal deal, which includes your choice of a 10-piece nugget or Big Mac accompanied by a medium French fry and a medium Grimace shake. Right now, we're not sure if the celebration will continue for just the month, or all summer long.

So, what’s the flavor of the purple shake? No, it’s not just a vanilla milkshake with food coloring. 

The frosty treat is actually a blend of vanilla soft serve and mixed berry flavors, and it's the first new flavor since the brand expanded its collection of Shamrock Shakes in 2017.

This is a pretty unique shake offering considering you rarely spot a berry shake on a fast food menu that isn’t strawberry—but we’re totally here for it. The creamy, summer berry treat will be perfectly refreshing for the first month of the season.

“Our fans have amazing childhood memories of their birthdays at McDonald’s...and Grimace’s Birthday is all about paying homage to the amazing, fun moments we all share,” says Tariq Hassan, Chief Marketing and Customer Experience Officer at McDonald’s USA. 

“We’re excited to put a modern spin on these memories to continue to drive McDonald’s relevance with a new generation. Grimace is the perfect lovable icon to have McDonald’s meet our fans at the intersection of nostalgia and culture.”

Grimace’s birthday isn’t the only excitement happening at the burger chain this summer. The Oreo Frappe has made a grand return, and there’s buzz of a Cheesy Jalapeño Bacon Quarter Pounder hitting menus soon. So, we're gearing up to celebrate summer (and maybe a birthday or two) under the golden arches.