I’m a wizened road warrior who flies more than 175,000 miles a year and spends about 200 nights a year at hotels. I also have elite status with four airlines and five hotel programs (including top-tier status with American Airlines AAdvantage and World of Hyatt).
But one of my favorite loyalty programs is one that doesn’t touch travel at all: MyMcDonald’s Rewards.
Despite a devaluation this year that made it a bit less rewarding — most items now require 500 more points — it’s still a super valuable program that anyone who regularly gets McDonald’s should join.
Will you be able to fly business class to Tokyo with your points? No, but you can save some of your hard-earned cash for those trips by using the MyMcDonald’s Rewards program.
Here’s everything to know about the fast-food program — and why it’s one I turn to time and time again.
What is MyMcDonald’s Rewards?
The MyMcDonald’s Rewards program allows you to earn points on all your McDonald’s purchases made within the U.S.
You can earn points by ordering in the mobile app ahead of time or by scanning a QR code at the drive-thru or at the register in stores. You can also earn points for McDelivery orders placed through the app.
As you accumulate a stash of points, you can redeem them for items like ice cream cones, breakfast biscuits, a medium order of french fries and even burgers.
What you can redeem for is constantly changing (and some selections are also unavailable during certain times of the day). You’ll need to check the app to see what’s available for redemption at any given time.
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Membership also gives you access to the deals and promotions tab in the app, where savings can really stack up quickly. For example, while writing this story, I noticed a pretty nifty promo offering a free Big Mac just for signing up.
Unlike travel rewards programs, MyMcDonald’s Rewards doesn’t have elite tiers. Instead, similar to other dining programs like Domino’s Rewards, MyMcDonald’s Rewards is best for quickly earning and redeeming points for items, making some of its most valuable redemptions its more affordable items.
I tend to use my points for cheeseburgers and ice cream cones, the latter of which is one of the more valuable ways to redeem your points — but I’ll touch on that more below.
Related: Why I got top-tier status with Starbucks and enjoy it — despite the reduced earnings for some
MyMcDonald’s Rewards value breakdown: Here’s why ‘I’m lovin’ it’
With MyMcDonald’s Rewards, you earn 100 points for every dollar you spend at McDonald’s. You can start redeeming points for items after accruing 1,500 points (or spending $15).
Similar to the Chipotle Rewards program, cash prices for items sold at McDonald’s vary by location, but MyMcDonald’s Rewards points redemptions are at fixed rates, meaning you’ll need the same number of points for, say, a cheeseburger, no matter which U.S. location you’re visiting.
The following shows which menu items you can cover with points, plus what they cost (in points and cash) at locations in New York City (where I live) and Bozeman, Montana (a city I visit often) and their redemption rates:
| Item | Points cost | Typical cost | Redemption rate |
|---|---|---|---|
|
A hash brown, apple pie, small premium roast coffee or vanilla cone
|
1,500 |
|
|
|
A McChicken sandwich, cheeseburger or sausage biscuit
|
2,000 |
|
|
|
A medium order of french fries, sausage burrito, six-piece order of Chicken McNuggets, large iced coffee or sausage McGriddles
|
3,500 |
|
|
|
Up to $3 off your order of $3 or more
|
4,000 |
|
|
|
A large order of french fries, egg and sausage McMuffin, Filet-O-Fish, large frappe or order of hotcakes
|
5,000 |
|
|
|
A Big Mac; Quarter Pounder with cheese; Happy Meal; bacon, egg and cheese biscuit; McFlurry; 10-piece order of Chicken McNuggets; or sausage, egg and cheese McGriddles
|
7,000 |
|
|
As you can see, you’ll squeeze more value per point with smaller purchases. The 2,000 points I would use for a vanilla cone priced at $3.79 in the Big Apple would get me the most value per point of any redemption option available. However, pricier redemptions like a Big Mac and a Happy Meal offer more value than the mid-tier $3 off option.
The underrated perks and pitfalls of MyMcDonald’s Rewards
One of the best parts of MyMcDonald’s Rewards (aside from getting free food, of course) is the access it gives you to special deals and discounts. I often see in-app offers that let you get two double cheeseburgers for $4, enjoy free fries with a purchase or add an item for $1 when you make a purchase.
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McDonald’s app exclusive deals. MCDONALD’S
Just remember that you generally can’t stack deals. You can either use a deal or your points, but not both.
You will earn rewards points when using deals, though. Likewise, you can redeem a reward and continue earning points on the other eligible items you purchase.
Unfortunately, MyMcDonald’s Rewards points do expire, so be sure to keep a close eye on your balance and try redeeming them as quickly as you can. You have six full months from the day you earned your points to use them; they’ll expire on the first day of the month after the sixth month.
Who is MyMcDonald’s Rewards best for?
The MyMcDonald’s Rewards program is best for folks who tend to purchase multiple items per order and want to earn and redeem their points quickly. That’s because you generally won’t be rewarded for saving up your points for a bigger redemption — remember, too, that they expire six months after earning them — and can more easily take advantage of special deals when ordering more than one item at a time.
Bottom line
I fly more than 175,000 miles a year and belong to just about every frequent flyer and hotel loyalty program there is, but one nontravel program that I always recommend to friends and family is MyMcDonald’s Rewards. The savings I get through the program add up quickly, and it’s fun to get some of my favorite on-the-go entrees and treats for free.
Related: This overlooked dining program is one of the. most generous and gets you $25 off your very first meal
