McDonald's Year Of Grimace Continues With A Squishmallows Toy
Grimace, McDonald's larger-than-life taste bud mascot, has had quite a year. First, he got his own meal and shake combo, complete with a super sweet berry and vanilla mashup colored a vibrant purple hue. Then, the Grimace shake went viral with a series of darkly funny and unexpected TikTok videos that took on a life of their own. Since then, McDonald's has capitalized on the big purple blob's popularity with the McDonald's x Crocs collection's Grimace Cozzzy Sandal, and more recently, the Ugly Grimace Holiday Sweater. Judging by the brand's newest release, the next natural step is a Squishmallow.
McDonald's announced in a press release that on December 26, the Squishmallows Happy Meal will make its U.S. debut, and Grimace will be one of the squishy toys available. While the meals began appearing in locations around the world earlier this year, many customers wondered when they'd make their way to the States — and what they would look like when they did. "I kind of wish they had McDonald's characters as Squishmallows! That would be too cute," wrote one prophetic Redditor in May 2023 after a person in Slovenia posted theirs. The McDonald's Squishmallows — consisting of 12 different characters — will only be available for a limited time.
The Happy Meals Squishmallows have their own playlists
While some Happy Meal toys have been downright disappointing, there are many that people have cherished — and these days, anything with Grimace is likely to be a surefire hit. Some grown-ups are no doubt a bit jealous that, instead of a McWrist wallet or spinning top, kids will receive one of 12 different McDonald's character Squishmallows with their Happy Meal. Cam the cat and Fifi the fox will be two of the possibilities, but McDonald's also teased the inclusion of a surprise character (in addition to the famous purple mascot).
Along with a Squishmallow, Happy Meal purchasers will receive something completely new — a Universal Music Group music playlist. Customers will need their phones to scan the QR code on the box, which will lead them to a customized playlist for their specific McDonald's Squishmallow.
Since they were launched in 2017, Squishmallows have become a must-have comfort toy for kids of all ages, similar to Grimace's recent rise to fame. In addition to McDonald's, Squishmallows has also collaborated with Star Wars, Hello Kitty, and Pokémon.