Review: All The Whos Are Going To Love The New Grinch Fries At McDonald's

Sam Zwick/Mashed

The Christmas season is known for plenty of wonderful things, but the big three are family, friends, and — of course — food. From holiday hams to Santa-shaped cookies, there's always something delicious on deck during the snowy season. With holiday menus popping up just about everywhere, McDonald's is joining the fun with some help from a famous holiday humbug.

Starting December 2, pickle fans can get their Grinch on with the new Grinch Meal at participating McDonald's. The star of this seasonal special is the Dill Pickle Grinch Salt McShaker Fries, which promise to bring a "tangy twist" to the Golden Arches' famous fries. The meal includes your choice of a 10-piece McNugget or a famous Big Mac, and includes a pair of special-edition Grinch socks.

While it's one thing to be festive, it's another to be tasty. As such, Mashed sent me to McDonald's to try The Grinch Meal the day it became available. Read on to find out if those Grinch Salt Fries are a holiday treat or a lump of coal in disguise.

Sam Zwick/Mashed

While the Grinch Meal is a new promotion, the Grinch McShaker Fries are the only entirely new menu item, and can be ordered a la carte if you're simply in the mood for pickle-flavored fries. Prices may vary by location, but at my local McDonald's, a medium order of Grinch Fries is $4.49 and a large is $4.99. The medium runs 340 calories, while the large contains 480 calories. Compared to the regular fries — $3.89 for a medium and $4.49 for a large — the calories are hardly different. The McDonald's app shows only a 20-calorie difference for the medium order, and no change in caloric count for a large serving.

If you're looking to snag a pair of those Who-tastic Grinch socks, you can scoop up a Grinch Big Mac Meal at $14.59 for a medium; containing 920 to 1220 calories. A large rings in around $15.29, which packs between 1090 and 1390 calories. A 10-piece McNugget meal clocks in between 750 and 1050 calories for $14.19, while the large runs 920 to 1350 calories for an extra 70 cents. All items are available for a limited time at participating McDonald's.

Sam Zwick/Mashed

There's a lot going on here. All meals arrive in a fun, oversized Grinch-themed Happy Meal box. Inside, you'll find your burger or nuggets, a pair of socks, a classic sleeve of fries, a packet of Grinch Salt, and a McShaker bag. That's right: You salt your own fries by dumping them in the bag with the mix and giving it a vigorous shake.

The Grinch Salt is a powdered vinegar mix that sticks as well to the fries as it does to fingers. I was reminded of the powder you'd find on a dill-seasoned potato chip ... and that's a good thing. These fries are nothing short of incredible. Personally, McDonald's doesn't score very high when ranked in the fast food French fry hierarchy (too thin for my taste), but I could hardly stop munching long enough to take pictures. Each bite offers a lovely hit of dill, and a vinegar acidity I couldn't get enough of. I'm an avid sauce fan, but I downed a full order of fries without popping open the ketchup. There was simply no need to dilute this awesome pickle flavor.

The Grinch Meal is fun on its own, but the socks definitely make it worth the extra $5 over a regular value meal. There are four different colors available — and all are packaged the same — so come with an empty stomach if you're trying to snag the full collection.

Sam Zwick/Mashed

The Grinch's heart may be two sizes too small, but his taste buds are picture-perfect. The Grinch Salt brings a welcome twist to a well-known classic and elevates McDonald's fries beyond their already lofty standards. Pickle flavors are all the rage, and the Golden Arches made a perfect move with this vinegar-dill combination that might even have Santa skip milk and cookies for an order of Grinch Fries. The Grinch Meal may be a holiday special, but I'd love to see the season of giving extend year-round so these fries can become a regular menu item.

McDonald's sent me a gift card to try out The Grinch Meal when it became available. I ordered from my local restaurant, brought the food home to snap some pictures, and then started sampling. My evaluation was based on taste, texture, and how well the meal — fries especially — stacked up to the McDonald's classics. The restaurant was unaware of the review when preparing the food.