McDonald’s rolls out Grinch Meal, adds new McShaker Fries

McDonald’s began serving a seasonal Grinch Meal at participating restaurants across the United States on December 2, 2025. The meal bundles a Big Mac or 10 piece Chicken McNuggets with a medium drink and the chain’s new Dill Pickle "Grinch Salt" McShaker Fries, and includes a pair of limited edition Grinch themed socks. The company highlighted the socks as a collectible item and used scarcity in its marketing to drive excitement around the promotion.

For crew members and store teams the promotion represents both a menu change and an operational adjustment. The introduction of the McShaker seasoning service requires frontline workers to add a new step to fry preparation and to manage the physical shakers on the line. Staff will also need to distribute and track the limited edition socks as part of orders while maintaining speed of service during potentially busier periods.

Managers and franchise teams are likely to face short term scheduling and supply challenges as customer interest spikes. The marketing emphasis on scarcity around the socks can create surges in demand, which may lead to longer lines, higher volume at drive thrus, and increased pressure on kitchen and front counter workflows. Training on the new seasoning service and procedures for handing out promotional items will be important to keep orders accurate and to avoid waste or customer frustration.

The rollout underscores a broader pattern in quick service operations where seasonal promotions introduce temporary complexity for store operations. Promotions can boost sales and customer traffic, but they also shift labor needs and require clear communication between corporate, franchise managers, and hourly crews. The Grinch Meal will be available for a limited time at participating restaurants, and crews may continue to see elevated traffic while the promotion is active.