Social media trends can take off in the blink of an eye. In recent months, many such trends in the form of challenges - skipping challenge, dating trend, trespassing challenge - have gone viral among users. But now, a purple-coloured milkshake offered by fast-food chain McDonald's has captured the attention of TikTok users. The Grimace Shake was launched to celebrate the birthday of a popular character that features in McDonald's commercials. Known as Ronald McDonald's best friend, he was introduced as a villainous character called Evil Grimace who stole people's shakes.
But the shake has not gone viral for its taste or the unique colour. Instead, TikTok users are posting videos where people drink the shake and are immediately seen covered in the drink, pretending to be killed, passed out or possessed.
Though these videos were originally posted on TikTok, they have also appeared on Twitter and other social media platforms.
Last week, a TikTok user posted a video with the hashtag #grimaceshake, which has been viewed more than 8 million times, as per Today. It shows the teen passenger taking a sip of the shake and then cuts to a staged crime scene, with the shake spilled everywhere and the teenager lying on the floor.
The creativity of these users is not only wonderful but horrifying too.
Most of these users who try the shake are shown mouth agape, presumed dead or dying and covered in lilac goop. The trend has essentially been turned mini horror films centred around the Grimace shake.
Response to the trend has ranged from amusement to confusion.
"I hope they catch the griminal," one user commented. "I don't understand this trend but it's hilarious," said another.
McDonald's has so far not issued any official statement on the TikTok trend. But Grimace has taken over all of the McDonald's social media accounts.
In a tweet on Tuesday, McDonald's posted a picture of the purple monster along with the tweet "meee pretending i don't see the grimace shake trendd."
