Companies have embraced the Christmas spirit. For example, Krispy Kreme reintroduced its Gingerbread Glazed Original Filled doughnut, Starbucks returned its iconic Holiday Menu, and Panda Express rolled out a chocolate bar collection with Compartés. Now, McDonald’s joins the bandwagon with its highly anticipated Grinch Meal.
What is McDonald’s Grinch Meal?
Dr. Seuss Enterprises and McDonald’s partnered to launch the Grinch Meal, which debuted on December 2. What makes this meal so zesty is the Dill Pickle “Grinch Salt” McShaker Fries that accompany a Big Mac or 10-piece Chicken McNuggets and a medium drink. Indeed, you read that correctly: Dill Pickle seasoning fries. Every meal comes with a McShaker and Grinch Salt. Then, you combine them all in the bag and shake it to create a tangy blend of fries.
For this McDonald’s employee, not only did this collaboration make her see green, but it has also made her feel it.
What happened to this McDonald’s employee?
Utah-based McDonald’s worker Ella Ashcraft (@ella_ashcraft3) unveils the aftermath of tasting the new Grinchy meal in a photo. In it is her bathroom with all of her essentials: Sprite and saltine crackers on the counter, wet wipes next to them, a DoorDash bag containing refills of these two items, and a puke bag and towel beside it. Needless to say, it wasn’t a pleasant experience.
“Tried the new Grinch fries at McDonald’s and got so sick that I lost almost 5 pounds in the span of 4 hours,” she shares in the text overlay.
The content creator added a more detailed description of the occurrence, “Me and two coworkers tried them and all three of us got this sick! PSA.” On the other hand, she did find a silver lining, adding, “Going on a cruise next week so I’m actually not that mad HAHA.”
Viewers weigh in
Ashcraft’s photo amassed 3 million views within two days. However, viewers’ interest was piqued for the opposite reason.
“So 5lbs per meal would you say? just trying to decide how many to buy,” the top comment with over 81k wrote.
“Noted. Will try this before my vacation,” another remarked.
“Guess where i’m going,” a third stated.
Moreover, others reported seeing an advanced warning cross their FYP through a self-claimed psychic, named Aran.
“I saw a video of a psychic saying a big chain is going to release a meal that gives everyone salmonella,” one commenter recalled.
“I’m not even kidding I saw an intuitive on here the other day say one of the holiday meals would make a lot of people sick,” a second echoed.
What causes food poisoning?
When food or drinks become contaminated with harmful bacteria, it’s a recipe for foodborne illness. This occurs due to improper handwashing, storage, or cleaning, according to the Mayo Clinic. Signs of food poisoning may appear within hours to days after consuming the contaminated product, which the Cleveland Clinic lists:
- Diahrea
- Stomach cramps or pain
- Nausea
- Vomiting
- Fever
Depending on the germ, symptoms can last from 24 hours to a week and typically resolve on their own; the CDC provides a chart for reference. But the public health agency recommends seeking medical attention if you have the following symptoms:
- Bloody diarrhea
- Diarrhea that lasts more than three days
- Dehydration
- A fever over 102 Fahrenheit
- Frequent puking where you’re unable to keep anything down
The Mary Sue reached out to Ashcraft via Instagram direct message and TikTok comment as well as McDonald’s via press email.
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