McDonald's unveils new Grimace tumbler — but some customers are furious

Independent

14-02-2025

Some McDonald's customers aren't lovin' the fast-food franchise's latest merchandise release.
In the lead up to Valentine's Day, McDonald's announced it'll be selling a new stainless-steel tumbler inspired by the purple and yellow McDonaldland character Grimace — but only in Australia.
A Facebook reel shared by the burger conglomerate revealed the dark purple cup with an animated outline of Grimace's face and a mustard-yellow top.
'Why Grimace Tumbler was made for Valentine's Day,' the caption read. '1. Beautiful eyes. 2. Cute smile. 3. Love handle.'
'You can't spell cupid without cup,' McDonald's continued. 'Get your boo a limited-edition Grimace Tumbler for Valentine's Day. Available at participating restaurants while stocks last.'
The post, which has garnered over 7,200 comments, disappointed some U.S. customers who were dismayed to discover the portable cup won't be sold in the states.
'Unfortunately, it seems to be only outside the U.S. which you would think they'd say. I called a couple locations around me sounding like a crazy person,' one McDonald's fan confessed.
A second said: 'I'm in the U.S. and if I can't get my hands on this, I'm throwing a fit.'
'I have called every McDonald's in my area in Indiana and none of them have even heard of this cup. I'm so disappointed,' another desperate fan admitted.
For curious customers, the McDonald's website includes detailed info about the new release on an FAQ page.
'The Grimace Tumbler is a 1.18L stainless steel tumbler that is double wall vacuum insulated,' it says. 'It's the perfect accessory - keeping drinks cold for up to 24 hours and hot for up to 6 hours. 100% of profits will go to Ronald McDonald House Charities Australia.'
One Facebook user said they weren't surprised the cup isn't available to American customers as the company doesn't often offer character merchandise in the U.S.
'It's sad McDonald's U.S. doesn't do McDonaldLand characters,' he wrote. 'You wouldn't even find a statue of Ronald McDonald outside a McDonald's store in the U.S. You'd have better luck seeing Donald cooking fries than seeing Ronald McDonald.'
'I realize U.S. for some reason never gets the cool stuff,' a fifth follower agreed.
McDonald's began phasing out McDonaldland characters — Ronald McDonald, Grimace, the Hamburglar, Sundae, Officer Big Mac, Mayor McCheese, Captain Crook, the Professor, and Birdy the Early Bird — back in 2003 as the company began targeting an older customer base.
The characters often appeared in commercials, promotions, on T-shirts, around restaurants, and as toys offered with Happy Meals for children.