The loudest new No. 1 New York Mets fan arrived at Citi Field for Game 3 of the NLDS game against the Philadelphia Phillies on Tuesday.
Grimace, the big purple cartoon character created by McDonald’s, has his image plastered on some of the 7-line trains in the New York City subway system. Additionally, the mascot’s version of Grimace jumped onto a subway car on the way to Tuesday’s game, surprising hundreds of Mets fans.
“Glutter! Grimacing! Grimacing! Grimacing!” Mets fans were heard cheering in one video as the mascot, wearing a Mets hat, walked onto the train.
In another video with Grimace on the train, Mets fans chanted “Let’s go Mets!” They also swarmed the mascot. The 7-line train is the only New York City subway line that travels directly to Citi Field.
Grimace has become a folk hero among Mets fans this season. McDonald’s character threw out the first pitch of a Mets game on June 12. That game marked the beginning of a seven-game winning streak for a Mets team that was 28-37 at the time, and the playoffs seemed like a distant possibility.
However, this winning streak turned into something more. New York continued to play well through the end of the first half of the season and into September, earning a wild-card spot in its penultimate regular season game. Including the playoffs, the Mets went 63-38 since Grimis threw out the first pitch.
While the Mets surprised the baseball world in 2024, their fans have continued to cling to Grimace throughout their success since June. They posted memes celebrating the unique-looking McDonald’s mascot. Other times, fans have been spotted dressed as Grimace while attending a Mets game, such as in their Game 2 loss to the Phillies.
The “scowl effect” reached another level in September. A purple bench was placed at Citi Field in September, with the word “Grimace” written on it as an ode to the mascot.
The Mets gifted Grimace with his own seat at Citi Field in September. (Photo by Dustin Satloff/Getty Images)
It all served to further strengthen the Mets-McDonalds relationship heading into Tuesday’s game.
“We saw a lot of social conversations where people were taking a picture of Grimace’s face on the purple subway line 7,” Amanda Mulligan, McDonald’s social media manager, told The Athletic before Tuesday’s game. “So it was great to be able to bring some Grimace flavor to the trip for all the Mets fans, knowing that everyone will be riding the 7 train to Citi Field. There may be a surprise appearance from Grimace himself on the subway.”
In addition to the Grimace badges placed on 7 selected trains, one train had a Grimace wrap on it, according to The Athletic.
Now, they’re hoping the “Grimace effect” continues, with many fans attending Tuesday’s game dressed in Grimace costumes where they’ll be rooting for the Mets as they try to take a 2-1 series lead.
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