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Uncle O'Grimacey Is Back At McDonald's To Ring In The Shamrock Shake

McDonald's seasonal Shamrock Shake is once again back in stores, but now with a fun family twist. This year, after rediscovering his family's original recipe for the Shamrock Shake, Grimace reconnected with his exuberant uncle, Uncle O'Grimacey, who came to visit from Sham Rock, Ireland, to spread the joy of his family recipe stateside.

Uncle O'Grimacey is a vintage McDonaldland character who has not been seen in official McDonald's marketing in nearly 40 years. Created in 1975 to promote the Shamrock Shake, Uncle O'Grimacey is a green version of Grimace who wears a cob hat and carries a shillelagh, and McDonald's is using his comeback to promote its charitable works.

From February 10 to March 23, 2025, for every Shamrock Shake sold at participating McDonald's, 25 cents of the purchase price will go to Ronald McDonald House Charities (RMHC), with a goal of raising $5 million — enough for 50,000 overnight stays for needy families. The campaign also features new Uncle O'Grimacey merch, available exclusively at Golden Arches Unlimited, purchases of which will trigger further RMHC donations from McDonald's.

The Shamrock Shake is a culinary powerhouse

McDonald's is known for its many seasonal and limited time only offerings, but the return of the green Shamrock Shake every year inspires particularly fevered excitement among its fan base. First created by a franchisee in 1967, the shake went national in 1970, and by 1983, the citrusy-vanilla original went extinct, and all Shamrock Shakes adopted their now-trademark minty taste. 

Obviously, a Shamrock Shake is best when purchased fresh from McDonald's. But fans of the treat can rest easy knowing that it is essentially a vanilla milkshake with peppermint, so it's easy to make Shamrock Shakes at home. Just don't forget to add the green food coloring (available on Amazon)! And whether homemade or restaurant-bought, a Shamrock Shake takes well to minty or vanilla-flavored alcohols if you want an adult twist to your kid-friendly milkshake. 

McDonald's is hoping that Uncle O'Grimacey's return can help honor the Shamrock Shake's roots in charitable giving: In 1974, Shamrock Shake sales helped build the very first Ronald McDonald House in Philadelphia, giving birth to a program that has helped millions of families across 62 countries.