USA McDonald's The Grinch Meal
The USA Grinch Meal includes your choice of Big Mac or Nuggets, a medium drink, and DIY USA dill pickle “Grinch Salt” McShaker Fries.The seasoning is new to the U.S. and surprisingly addictive, though the USA DIY shake experience gets old fast.It's pricey for USA McDonald’s, but the collectible box and Grinch socks soften the blow.
McDonald’s holiday collaborations have always lived somewhere between chaotic and charming, but this year, the chain asked, "What if we let a fictional green hater of USA Christmas redesign the menu?" On December 2, The Grinch Meal hit locations nationwide—complete with a limited-edition box, collectible socks, and, most importantly, dill pickle-seasoned McShaker Fries making their U.S. debut.
On paper, the meal reads as many of McDonald’s special-edition drops: a regular entrée (Big Mac or 10-piece McNugget), fries, a drink, and one buzzy new element. But this time the star is undeniably that neon-green “Grinch Salt” packet. And yes, you do the shaking yourself.
In NYC, the meal rang up at $17.74, which honestly made my jaw drop. I’ve eaten full sit-down lunches for less. But McDonald’s is clearly betting on nostalgia, novelty, and—let’s be real—the free socks to carry the experience.
The savory side is less connected to the overall theme, but it's still wild that, after all that, McDonald's UK is also getting some cheese stick dippers and two new sandwiches. Those would be the Big Tasty, which is a returning burger with a "smoky sauce" on it, and the Cheesy Chicken Stack, a chicken sandwich topped with both a slice of cheese and a fried cheese melt. We know McDonald's international locations get a lot of fun items we don't, but this snub of America by an American company partnering with a beloved American author is more inexplicable than most.
Let’s Talk About These Grinch Fries
The meal arrives with a paper McShaker bag. You dump the fries inside, sprinkle on the seasoning, and shake like you’re trying to summon all of Whoville. To its credit, the method works; the fries get evenly coated, no clumps, no chaos (well, minimal chaos).
Flavor-wise? They slap. Hard.
Despite “salt” being in the name, the seasoning doesn’t make the fries unbearably salty. Instead, it adds a bold, vinegary dill pickle tang that makes your taste buds pucker in the best way possible. I kept reaching back into the bag for the fries until I hit the leftover seasoning at the bottom. If McDonald’s doesn’t turn this into a full pickle menu one day, they’re leaving money on the table.
But here’s the catch: shaking fries is fun once. Doing it every time you crave dill pickle fries? That’s a harder sell. A pre-seasoned option would’ve been elite.
The Rest Of The Meal
The socks, available in four festive Grinch colors, are actually adorable and feel like the best justification for the price. The box is also a cute limited-edition moment, very “adult Happy Meal but for people who find themselves saying ‘I am the Grinch’ during holiday travel.”
As for the Big Mac/Nugget combo, it’s exactly what it always is. The same comforting and reliable meal millions of people enjoy every day.
Final Thoughts
Is The Grinch Meal overpriced? Absolutely. Did I enjoy it anyway? Also yes.
The dill pickle fries are the standout, and I hope this becomes the first step toward a chaotic brine-forward McDonald’s era. The socks are a fun collectible. And while the whole thing feels like holiday marketing crack, sometimes the season calls for a little unhinged joy.
If your inner Grinch demands food, theatrics, and a pair of novelty socks, McDonald’s has you covered.
NEED TO KNOW
-
7-Eleven stores in the U.S. are now selling Japanese-Style Egg Salad Sandwiches
-
Videos blew up of tourists trying the convenience store's egg salad sandwiches in Japan
-
The Japanese-Style Egg Salad Sandwich has egg salad made with Kewpie Mayonnaise (a Japanese mayo) between slices of milk bread
Similarly, McDonald’s just brought a trendy international item to the U.S. with its release of The Grinch Meal.
For cartoon-inspired meal, customers get to choose between a Big Mac or 10-piece McNuggets and a medium drink. Plus, the limited-time meal includes Dill Pickle Grinch Salt McShaker Fries, meaning fans get a typical order of fries and a packet of “Grinch Salt” dill pickle seasoning to add themselves.
The meal also comes with a pair of commemorative socks, which are available in four colors: yellow, red, blue or green. Each set has cartoonish images of the Grinch, his dog Max and Cindy Lou Who and a message from Grinch on the bottom.
Limited-edition fast food menus are fun and delicious in their own right, but when a national chain channels seasonal festivities for a new drop, the release is even more exciting. Recently, Five Guys announced the return of the popular Candy Cane Crunch shake after its successful debut in 2024. McDonald's finally brought back the internationally-loved Grinch Meal, inspired by Dr. Seuss' Christmas classic, to the U.S. And now, Chili's is joining the fun with the return of a fan-favorite menu item, just in time for the holiday season.
Chili's $6 Merry Maker Margarita Is Back for a Limited Time
Chili's Grill & Bar may be well known for its iconic Triple Dipper, but the chain is also loved for its incredibly tasty (and cheap!) cocktail offerings. Hot on the heels of The Good Witch and Witches Brew Marg duo that went viral alongside the release of "Wicked: For Good," Chili's is bringing back one of its most popular menu items for a limited time—and it seems like Chili's fans are on Santa's Nice List.
Just in time for the holidays, the restaurant chain brought back a top-selling Margarita of the Month for December: the Merry Maker Marg. Available all month long, the wintry margarita features Lunazel Blanco Tequila, triple sec, blackberry syrup, and house-made sour. Plus, if the flavor isn't festive enough, the cocktail is also served with a reusable straw featuring Santa's signature mustache for a fun touch that will leave sippers feeling even more jolly.
"This margarita was my absolute favorite of all the monthly margs that Chili's has," wrote one Redditor, following the cocktail's departure last December.Instagram user @sarahmargareteats agrees, saying that fans need to "run to Chili's" for the drink. People eagerly shared their excitement in the comments, with one fan saying, "This was the best! Chili's should have it as part of [its] year-round menu."Fortunately for fans, the limited-edition cocktails are back as Chili's $6 December Margaritas of the Month. So, customers can enjoy the festive-favorite cocktail now through the new year. Because why not ring in 2026 with a few Merry Maker Margs, and maybe a Triple Dipper or two while you're at it?
Dunkin’s winter holiday menu may have already dropped, but that doesn’t mean there aren’t even more surprises in store this month, including a brand-new Munchkins treat that everyone will want to try, alongside a few holiday makeovers for the coffee chain’s signature treats.Deck the Halls with Lots of Donuts
Dunkin’s limited-edition holiday Munchkins are sure to be the star of your holiday dessert board...or your office donut run. Meet the brand-new Salted Dark Chocolate Sprinkle Munchkins, made of moist chocolate cake with salted dark chocolate sprinkles. Or grab a box of Dunkin’s classic Holiday Sprinkle Munchkins, which are glazed old-fashioned donut holes rolled in holiday-colored sprinkles.
If you're buying Munchkins in bulk, you'd best believe they come in their very own home. Dunkin's winter Munchkins boxes fold up into adorable little houses, complete with festive illustrations of this year's Munchkins offerings.
Dunkin’s donuts have also literally been sprinkled with holiday magic. Every chocolate, vanilla, and strawberry donut in Dunkin’s pastry case will get its yearly holiday makeover, replacing its regular sprinkle colors with festive red, white, and green ones.
To celebrate the launch of its latest holiday menu iteration, Dunkin’ is passing out endless rewards left and right. On Dec. 4, all espresso-based drinks at Dunkin’ will net you three times the points. On the 20th (which is National Sangria Day, for the uninitiated), you can get 3x points on all of Dunkin’s signature Refreshers.
From Dec. 16-31, grab a Maple Sugar Bacon Breakfast Sandwich for only $4 with the purchase of any drink. You should also take advantage of Dunkin’s limited-edition holiday Munchkins this month—from Dec. 26-28, grab triple points with any bulk donut or Munchkins order.
Dunkin’ has also dropped a sneak peek of its limited-edition holiday merchandise that drops on Dec. 7. Dunkin’s Gold Sparkly Tumbler and Beaded Sprinkle Pouch will be available to purchase for just one day, exclusive to Dunkin’ Rewards members who currently have Boosted status activated.
If you’re not already a Dunkin’ member, it’s free to sign up—just download the Dunkin’ app or visit its website to start earning holiday bonus points.
Trying new food is always exciting. You don't know exactly what you are going to get, and whether your world is about to change for the better or worse. We have all tried foods that we regretted ever eating, and we have all had foods that we questioned, but are glad that we took the chance and enjoyed eating. Whenever places introduce a new food item or combo, it can be exciting to see what the hype is about. McDonald's recently released a new meal, and some are asking if it's good and worth it, or if it's overrated. Here is my review on what to expect if you haven't tried it yet.
You'd think being the home of McDonald's would mean the U.S. gets the best promotions, but it turns out the new McD's Grinch menu in the UK puts ours to shame. A few weeks ago, McDonald's announced that a holiday Grinch promotion would begin on December 2. Partnering with the Dr. Seuss team, McDonald's revealed it would be selling a Grinch-themed meal, a Big Mac or 10-piece Chicken McNuggets with fries, that would come with one pair of holiday Grinch socks, a genuinely fun treat for anyone who loves the classic Christmas story. Americans were satisfied and excited to grab their Grinch meals — until social media users posted photos of the menu they got over in Great Britain.
The Brits are getting the Grinch socks too, but as revealed by Instagram users like Snackolator, UK McDonald's customers are getting not one, not two, but nine menu items as part of the Grinch promotion. The only new food the U.S. got was the dill pickle flavor "Grinch Salt" McShaker Fries, which are also available in the UK. The shock and confusion from McDonald's fans at the revelation was clear, with one person saying, "[McDonald's] was established in the [U.S.] but they hate us," and another wondering why "America never gets cool menu items like other parts of the world." Someone else described the issue the most succinctly, saying, "Everyone but us gets the good stuff."
While the UK Grinch lineup has new items for every corner of the menu, some of the new items are much more Grinch-themed, especially the desserts. The most fun-looking is the Grumble Pie, which is like a handheld McDonald's Apple Pie, but with a vibrant green pastry and a red-and-white filling of apple, cranberry, and custard. There are also two new McFlurrys: A chocolate brownie one with brownie chunks and chocolate drizzle, and the more Grinchy Mischief McFlurry, which features a Christmas-colored mixture of Smarties, candy Christmas trees, and strawberry sauce. For drinks, there is a green-swirled Frozen Grinch Lemonade, with the green being melon flavored. And while we don't quite get the holiday or Grinch connection on the coconut latte, we're still jealous the U.S. isn't getting it.
Posted on 2025/12/06 08:11 AM