Skip to content

This New McDonald's Program Is Surging in Popularity with Millions of Customers

Millions of customers are lovin' it.
FACT CHECKED BY Mura Dominko

In July, McDonald's rolled out a loyalty program, joining the ranks of fast-food chains like Starbucks, Chick-fil-A, and Subway that have long offered such perks.

And while it's a latecomer to the loyalty program game, McDonald's is making up for lost time rapidly. According to QSR Magazine, in the months since the rollout of the MyMcDonald's Rewards program, more than 21 million customers have signed up.

RELATED: McDonald's Could Be Planning a Major Expansion Of This Menu Item In 2022

A MyMcDonald's Rewards user earns one hundred points for every dollar spent, or a penny a point though not all purchases are eligible. Once a member has accrued enough points, they can redeem them for free food or beverage items. A redemption of 1,500 points can be used for a Hash Brown, a Vanilla Cone, a Cheeseburger, or a McChicken sandwich. A 3,000-point redemption can get the member medium French Fries, a Sausage Burrito, a Large Iced Coffee, or a six-piece Chicken McNuggets. There are also 4,500- and 6,000-point tiers, with items like a Big Mac or an entire Happy Meal falling into the latter.

Customers can begin enjoying freebies before accruing many points, however: as soon as a person joins MyMcDonald's Rewards, which is done via the McDonald's app, they can get a free item from the 1,500-point tier after any purchase made via the app.

The McDonald's app and MyMcDonald's Rewards program have not only enhanced customer engagement with the brand, but have also provided interesting data about menu item popularity. For example, the McChicken is the most often redeemed item in well over a dozen states, with Happy Meals a close second. Large fries and a large coffee are also popular.

The MyMcDonald's Rewards program has also gone international. It was expanded to Germany in September and to Canada in November, and will be rolled out in Australia and the United Kingdom next year, thus reaching tens of millions more potential users in major markets for the fast-food chain.

What's your experience with the chain's new loyalty program? Let us know at [email protected].

For more, check out:

And don't forget to sign up for our newsletter to get the latest restaurant news delivered straight to your inbox.

Steven John
Steven John is a freelancer writer for Eat This, Not That! based just outside New York City. Read more about Steven