McDonald’s Grinch Meal Price, What’s Included & Availability (Updated 2026)

$11.00 to $20.00 | 900 to 1,100 Cal

You heard about the Grinch Meal, you’re wondering what it actually costs, and you want to know if its still on the menu. the Grinch Meal runs somewhere between $11 and $20 depending on where you order, and it comes with a Big Mac or 10-piece Chicken McNuggets, McShaker fries with dill pickle Grinch Salt, and a medium drink. Socks are a separate add-on in most locations. This guide covers the price, what’s inside, nutrition, allergens, and whether you can still get it right now.

How Much Is the McDonald’s Grinch Meal?

Prices vary a lot by city and franchise. New York City locations have charged close to $18.89 for the meal, while other markets have listed it closer to $11 to $14. Your local McDonald’s app is the only way to get the exact number for your zip code.

What Comes in the Grinch Meal?

The Grinch Salt itself is a dill pickle flavored shaker seasoning, not a sauce. You dump it into the McShaker bag with the fries, shake it up, and eat straight from the bag, similar to how McDonald’s does seasoned fries in other countries.

Is the Grinch Meal Available Right Now?

Not currently. The Grinch Meal is a holiday-season item, not a year-round menu item. In its most recent US run, it launched nationwide on December 2, 2025, at participating restaurants, and it stayed on the menu while supplies last through the holiday period. By January it was gone from most locations, and it hasn’t returned since.

This was actually the first time the Grinch Meal appeared in the United States. McDonald’s Canada ran a version of it back in 2024, and after strong reception there, McDonald’s brought it south for the 2025 holiday season through a partnership with Dr. Seuss Enterprises.

There’s no official confirmation yet on a 2026 holiday return, but given the pattern (Canada in 2024, US debut in 2025), it’s a reasonable bet McDonald’s brings it back for the 2026 holiday season, likely landing sometime around early December. Check the McDonald’s app or mcdonalds.com closer to the holidays for the official announcement.

Nutrition Facts

Sodium is the number to watch here. A medium Grinch Big Mac Meal runs close to 1,590mg of sodium, which is over two-thirds of the recommended daily limit for most adults, and that’s before you add the Grinch Salt seasoning packet to the fries.

Allergen Information

McDonald’s restaurants prepare many foods in shared areas and shared fryers. Anyone with a severe allergy should check the official McDonald’s allergen guide before ordering, since exact recipes and prep methods can shift slightly between locations.

How It Compares to Other McDonald’s Meals

The Grinch Meal costs roughly $2 to $6 more than the equivalent regular meal at most locations. You’re paying for the seasoning packet, the themed box, and the option to buy socks, not a bigger portion.

Ways to Save Money on the Grinch Meal

• Order through the McDonald’s app instead of the counter app-exclusive deals sometimes apply even during limited-time promotions
• Skip the socks if you just want the food, since they usually cost extra
• Check for a free medium fries offer in the app before adding McShaker Fries separately
• Compare drive-thru vs. delivery pricing delivery apps like Uber Eats and DoorDash almost always mark up limited-time items
• Split the meal with someone if you just want to try the Grinch Salt fries without committing to a full combo

Is the Grinch Meal Worth It?

If you’re a Big Mac or Nuggets regular anyway, the extra $2 to $6 mostly buys you the novelty: dill pickle fries you can’t get any other time of year, and packaging that’s fun if you’re into the collectible side of McDonald’s promos. The socks are the real draw for collectors they sold out fast in December 2025 and started showing up on eBay for well above the original price within days.

If you’re just hungry and price sensitive, a regular Big Mac Meal or the $5 Meal Deal gets you fed for less. The Grinch Meal is best for people who want the seasonal fries, the socks, or both, not for people chasing the cheapest calorie per-dollar option.

How to Find the Exact Price Near You

1. Open the McDonald’s app and set your location
2. Search or browse to the Grinch Meal (during its active season) under limited-time offers
3. Select your entrée Big Mac or 10-piece Nuggets
4. Choose medium or large size
5. Add socks separately if you want them
6. Review the total before checkout, since tax and any delivery fees show up here

A Quick Note on Where the Grinch Meal Came From

The Grinch Meal is a partnership between McDonald’s and Dr. Seuss Enterprises, built around the Grinch character from How the Grinch Stole Christmas! McDonald’s Canada ran the first version in 2024, calling it The Grinchiest Meal. After it did well there, McDonald’s brought a version to the US for the first time in December 2025, adding the dill pickle Grinch Salt seasoning as a new twist not used in the Canadian version.

FAQs

How much is the Grinch Meal at McDonald’s?

The Grinch Meal typically costs between $11.00 and $18.89 depending on your location, with your choice of a Big Mac or 10-piece Chicken McNuggets, a medium drink, and Grinch Salt McShaker fries. Prices run higher in expensive markets like New York City and lower in most other regions. Socks are usually a separate add-on rather than included free.

Does McDonald’s still have the Grinch Meal?

Not right now. It was a holiday-only item that ran from December 2, 2025 through early January 2026, and it left the menu once that run ended. It isn’t discontinued for good, it’s just off-season until McDonald’s brings it back for another holiday period.

Is the Grinch Meal at McDonald’s available in the US?

Yes, but only during its limited run. December 2025 was actually the first time the Grinch Meal was sold nationwide in the US, after it debuted in Canada back in 2024. Outside of that holiday window, it isn’t on the US menu.

What comes with a McDonald’s Grinch Meal?

You get a choice of a Big Mac or a 10-piece Chicken McNuggets, a medium order of World Famous Fries served in a McShaker bag, a packet of dill pickle Grinch Salt seasoning to shake into the fries, and a medium fountain drink. The meal comes in Grinch-branded packaging, and themed socks are available as a separate add-on at most locations.

Does McDonald’s do a Grinch Happy Meal?

The main US promotion is the Grinch Meal built around a Big Mac or Nuggets combo, aimed more at adults and older kids than a standard Happy Meal. Some listings and resale sites refer to an Adult Happy Meal version tied to the same promotion, which follows the same box and sock theme but isn’t the classic kids’ Happy Meal format.

How long does the Grinch Meal last at McDonald’s?

In its 2025 run, it stayed on the menu from December 2 through early January, sold “while supplies last” at participating locations. Some restaurants ran out of socks and seasoning packets well before the promotion’s official end date, so availability toward the tail end depended a lot on your specific location.

Can I buy just the Grinch socks without ordering the meal?

At some locations, yes a few restaurants sold the socks on their own for around $2.50 to $7 through the app’s Sides & More section. This wasn’t universal, though, and plenty of locations only offered socks as part of the full meal purchase.

Is the Grinch Meal a permanent menu item?

No. It’s a limited-time holiday promotion, similar to the McRib or other seasonal releases. It shows up for a few weeks around the holidays and then disappears until McDonald’s decides to bring it back.

What is Grinch Salt made of?

It’s a dill pickle flavored seasoning blend, meant to be shaken directly onto the fries inside the McShaker bag. McDonald’s hasn’t published a full ingredient breakdown publicly, but the flavor profile is built around tangy, dill pickle notes rather than a sauce or dip.

Can I get the Grinch Meal through delivery apps?

Yes, participating locations offered it through Uber Eats, DoorDash, and similar platforms during the promotion. Expect delivery pricing to run higher than ordering in person or through the McDonald’s app directly, since delivery markups apply to limited-time items just like the regular menu.

Will the Grinch Meal come back in 2026?

There’s no official confirmation yet, but the pattern points that way. The meal ran in Canada in 2024, then debuted in the US in 2025, so a return for the 2026 holiday season is a reasonable expectation. Keep an eye on the McDonald’s app in November for the official announcement.

Conclusion

The Grinch Meal costs around $11 to $19 for a Big Mac or Nuggets combo with dill pickle seasoned fries, plus optional socks. It’s a holiday-only item that ran from December 2025 through early 2026 in its US debut, and it’s currently off the menu until McDonald’s brings it back for another holiday season. Check the McDonald’s app in November if you want to catch it the moment it returns.