BOJ Expected to Deliver December Rate Hike as Economists See Borrowing Costs Rising Through 2025 
Global Markets Slide as Tech Stocks Sink, Yields Rise, and AI Concerns Deepen 
Canada’s local food system faces major roadblocks without urgent policy changes 
SK Hynix Considers U.S. ADR Listing to Boost Shareholder Value Amid Rising AI Chip Demand 
SpaceX Begins IPO Preparations as Wall Street Banks Line Up for Advisory Roles 
Disaster or digital spectacle? The dangers of using floods to create social media content 
Apple App Store Injunction Largely Upheld as Appeals Court Rules on Epic Games Case 
EU Court Cuts Intel Antitrust Fine to €237 Million Amid Long-Running AMD Dispute 
Nvidia Develops New Location-Verification Technology for AI Chips 
Why a ‘rip-off’ degree might be worth the money after all – research study 
SpaceX Insider Share Sale Values Company Near $800 Billion Amid IPO Speculation 
Stuck in a creativity slump at work? Here are some surprising ways to get your spark back 
U.S. Stock Futures Mixed as Tech and AI Stocks Face Pressure Ahead of CPI Data 
Westpac Director Peter Nash Avoids Major Investor Backlash Amid ASX Scrutiny 
Japan Weighs New Tax Breaks to Boost Corporate Investment Amid Spending Debate 
Trello Outage Disrupts Users as Access Issues Hit Atlassian’s Work Management Platform 
Indonesia–U.S. Tariff Talks Near Completion as Both Sides Push for Year-End Deal 
McDonald's reintroduction of the Grimace character with a new berry-flavored milkshake to commemorate his birthday has sparked an unexpectedly dark yet humorous trend on TikTok, known as the Grimace Shake Incident. The trend involves creators simulating their own eerie "deaths" after sipping the drink, causing a flood of memes across social media platforms.
The Grimace Shake Incident involves TikTok creators sipping the milkshake and then simulating their own deaths in haunting scenarios. These videos typically begin with creators wishing to Grimace a happy birthday. As they take a sip of the shake, the footage abruptly cuts to scenes where they portray themselves as lifeless or injured, with the purple milkshake ominously flowing from their mouth, nose, or even head.
McDonald's commemorated Grimace's 52nd birthday on June 12 by reintroducing the beloved character from the 60s with limited-time treats and meals. Although McDonaldland icons like Grimace and the Hamburglar haven't been in the spotlight since the 2000s, Grimace has now captured the attention of Gen-Z TikTokers, catapulting him to viral fame.
These TikTok clips showcase individuals enthusiastically tasting the Grimace shake while extending birthday wishes, but as soon as they take a sip, hilariously staged fake deaths occur, often with a playful purple puddle. TikToker @ruiz_alv04 reportedly initiated the viral trend in a video shared on June 24. Known for his mischievous antics, Grimace's spoof videos pay homage to his villainous side, adding a humorous twist to the celebrations.
On Tuesday, the official McDonald's account tweeted a message that read, "meee pretending i don't see the grimace shake trendd," accompanied by a picture of Grimace appearing horrified.
According to the online meme, database Know Your Meme, the first Grimace Shake Incident TikTok was posted on June 13 by user Austin Frazier (@thefrazmaz). Since then, the trend has turned toward the dark and cinematic.
Frazier shared with NBC News' Stay Tuned that he drew inspiration from a TikTok video where someone pretended to be in the hospital after trying Burger King's Spider-Verse Whopper. Initially, Frazier expected his Grimace Shake video to be a one-off success. However, he was pleasantly surprised by the many users who joined to create their renditions.
Frazier explained that what's fantastic about it is that it became a trend that took off, allowing for creativity and individuality. He added that while he may have had a certain vision, it opened the door for people to infuse their unique humor, whether it be funny, dark, or even horror-inspired.
Photo; Erik Mclean/Unsplash
