McDonald’s Grinch Meal is flying off shelves. | Photo courtesy of McDonald’s.
People apparently love socks with their lunch.
McDonald’s Grinch Meal is apparently flying off the shelves, according to the franchisees and the company, to the point that some locations are running out of the socks that are included with the meals just days after the promotion’s kickoff.
We will highlight this nontraditional corporate statement from the Chicago-based burger giant in response to our inquiries on the topic:
“The Grinch promised a holiday treat, and our fans jumped to their feet. His spirited socks have brought so much delight, that The Grinch Meal is selling left and right.
“We’re thrilled that his meal has become a big hit, and that customers are making new memories with socks in their kit. There’s still time to join in on the holiday cheer, but don’t wait too long before they disappear.”
The meal features a Big Mac or a 10-piece Chicken McNuggets, Shaker Fries—featuring a Grinch-themed dill-flavored seasoning—a drink and socks in one of four colors, all in a Grinch-themed box.
It is the latest in a series of themed meals targeted at adults, a marketing ploy McDonald’s kicked off in 2022 with the Cactus Plant adult Happy Meal. Such meals have generally done well for the chain, such as the Minecraft Movie promotion, which helped generate strong traffic in early April.
McDonald’s started selling the Grinch Meal early this week. By Thursday there were already reports from social media that some restaurants had run out of the socks that are a centerpiece of the offer:
Dissapointed. Went to @McDonalds on bluff road in Columbia sc for the grinch meal, and just after 1 day, they claimed they were out of boxes! 25.00 and no box. The box was the reason I ordered. I would have gotten a regular meal for 6 dollars. What’s the solution @McDonalds ? pic.twitter.com/aWvBfPtqX5
— Jarvy Moe (@JarvyMoe) December 5, 2025
Sets of the socks featured in the meal have already started making their way to the auction site eBay, at up to $75 for a full set.
That falls in line with past adult meal promotions, particularly those that feature some sort of memorabilia along with a combination of burgers, fries and drinks. Consumers, driven by nostalgia and social media, flock to a local restaurant and drain supplies faster than operators can keep pace.
McDonald’s said that most McDonald’s locations, at least as of Friday, have supplies of socks to include with the meals.
But it also said it anticipates that some locations will run out. It noted that it is working with suppliers, distributors and franchisees to ensure that as many people as possible get socks before the limited-time offer ends.
Still, promotions like this one have helped a number of restaurant chains generate traffic during otherwise difficult periods.
McDonald’s has generated traffic during an otherwise difficult couple of years by tapping into consumer nostalgia. And other restaurant chains have followed suit. Burger King the same week started selling a Spongebob Movie menu that features a yellow-bun Krabby Whopper, along with Mr. Krabs Cheesy Bacon Tots, Patrick’s Star-berry shortcake pie and Pirate’s frozen pineapple float.
All of it is designed to target a group of adults—known in marketing circles as “kidults”—that are adept users of social media and will respond to nostalgic marketing.
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