Since launching points earn in Europe in 2019, MyMcDonald’s Rewards has grown into one of the largest loyalty programs on the planet. By the second quarter of 2025, the program had reached 185 million 90-day active users globally, with McDonald’s publicly targeting 250 million active users by the end of 2027.[2] In 2024 alone, loyalty members generated $30 billion in systemwide sales, a 30% increase year on year.[3]
As loyalty consultants, the Loyalty & Reward Co team have analyzed hundreds of loyalty programs across every category. Few operate at this scale, and fewer still have achieved the kind of behavioral change McDonald’s has demonstrated. This guide breaks down exactly how MyMcDonald’s Rewards works, how to earn and redeem points for maximum value, and what makes this program one of the most instructive case studies in QSR loyalty design.
How MyMcDonald’s Rewards works
MyMcDonald’s Rewards is a points-based loyalty program available exclusively through the McDonald’s app. The program is free to join and structured around a simple earn-and-redeem mechanic, with four redemption tiers offering progressively more valuable menu items.
Program structure and basics
The program’s foundation is intentionally accessible. Here is how it works at a glance.
- Members earn 100 points for every $1 spent on eligible purchases.[4]
- Points accumulate in the app and can be redeemed across four tiers of free food items.
- There is no paid membership tier, no annual fee, and no minimum spend to enrol.
- The program is app-only. Orders placed through third-party delivery platforms like Uber Eats, DoorDash, or Grubhub do not earn points.[5]
Points earning system
Earning points is designed to require minimal friction. Members can earn in two ways.
When ordering through the McDonald’s app, points are credited automatically once the order is placed. No additional action is required.[6]
When ordering in-store, at the drive-thru, or at a kiosk, members access the “Earn Points” tab in the app and present their unique 4-digit code to the crew before placing their order. The code can also be scanned at a kiosk.[7]
Points typically appear in the account within 24 hours of a qualifying purchase. If points do not appear, the app includes a “Missing Points” feature that allows members to submit their receipt for manual review.
Points expiry
Points expire on the first day of the month following six months from the date they were earned.[8] For example, points earned in January expire on August 1. This creates a meaningful redemption window without excessive urgency.
Getting started with MyMcDonald’s Rewards
Download and setup
The McDonald’s app is available for free on the Apple App Store and Google Play Store, supporting iOS 12.0 or later and Android 7.0 or higher.[9] The app handles mobile ordering, rewards tracking, deal access, and payment in one place.
Account registration
To create an account and join the program, members need to complete the following steps.
- Download the McDonald’s app.
- Create an account using an email address.
- Opt in to MyMcDonald’s Rewards during setup.
- Confirm your registration via email.
Joining takes less than two minutes. Members can begin earning points on their first qualifying purchase immediately after opting in.[10]
Welcome offer
New members can received a join bonus offer. For example, at the time of writing new members in the US receive a free Ranch or Spicy Snack Wrap with their first purchase of $1 or more through the app.[11] Members who link a payment card to the app for the first time also receive 1,500 bonus points, placing them halfway to a free Big Mac before they have completed a single full qualifying transaction.[12]
How to earn points
Ordering through the McDonald’s app
Placing orders directly in the McDonald’s app is the simplest and most reliable way to earn. Points are credited automatically once the order is confirmed, removing any risk of forgetting to scan or present a code.[13]
Mobile ordering also unlocks access to app-exclusive deals and promotions that are not available to walk-in customers. As loyalty experts, the Loyalty & Reward Co team have consistently observed that programs which tie their best offers to the digital channel accelerate app adoption more effectively than those that make digital optional.[14]
In-store and drive-thru earning
For members who prefer ordering at the counter, kiosk, or drive-thru speaker, the process requires one additional step. Before placing the order, members need to:
- Open the McDonald’s app.
- Navigate to the “Earn Points” tab.
- Present the 4-digit Drive-Thru code or scan the counter code before ordering.
The code must be presented before the order is placed. Codes cannot be applied retroactively to a completed transaction, though the missing points feature provides a 24-hour window for receipt-based recovery.[15]
Bonus point opportunities
Beyond everyday earning, the program runs a range of bonus events that meaningfully accelerate points accumulation.
- Double points promotions run approximately every six weeks, often aligned with new menu item launches or seasonal campaigns. These events have been shown to generate significantly higher app engagement among active members.[16]
- Personalised bonus offers appear in the Deals section of the app based on individual purchase history. Frequent McCafé customers may receive triple points on coffee purchases, while members who regularly order breakfast items may unlock targeted breakfast bonuses.[17]
- Seasonal campaigns such as the Monopoly Game at McDonald’s layer additional earning opportunities on top of the standard rate. In the 2025 Monopoly promotion, members could earn 500 bonus points by pre-registering before October 5, plus additional points through in-game prizes and the digital Bonus Play mechanic.[18]
- First payment bonus gives members 1,500 points for linking and using a payment card in the app for the first time, a strong onboarding mechanic designed to drive payment integration and habitual app use.[19]
How to redeem rewards
The four reward tiers
MyMcDonald’s Rewards uses a four-tier redemption structure. Members can choose to redeem at any tier once they have reached the required point balance, with the freedom to save up for higher-tier items rather than being forced to redeem at the lowest available level. Tier and products available differ by country and are subject to change. From the US McDonald’s rewards page, the current tiers are as follows: [20]
Tier 1 (1,500 points) A free McChicken, Hash Browns, Vanilla Cone, or Classic Cheeseburger.
Tier 2 (3,000 points) A free Medium Fries, Sausage Burrito, 6-piece Chicken McNuggets, or Large Iced Coffee.
Tier 3 (4,500 points) A free Large Fries, Large Frappé, Filet-O-Fish, Sausage McMuffin with Egg, or Hotcakes.
Tier 4 (6,000 points) A free Big Mac, Quarter Pounder with Cheese, Happy Meal, Bacon Egg and Cheese Biscuit, 10-piece Chicken McNuggets, McFlurry, or Sausage Egg and Cheese McGriddles.
To put these tiers in context, a member spending $15 will have accumulated 1,500 points and can immediately unlock a Tier 1 reward. Reaching the Tier 4 Big Mac requires $60 in qualifying spend. At an average of 26 visits per year for active members, Tier 4 rewards are within reach in a matter of weeks for regular customers.[21]
The program offers a return on spend of up to 7.4%, comparing favorably to key QSR competitors.[22]
Redemption process
Redeeming a reward is handled entirely within the app. Members should take the following steps:
- Open the app and navigate to the Rewards and Deals tab.
- Select the reward item to redeem.
- For mobile orders, choose “Add to Mobile Order” to apply the reward to a current cart.
- For in-store or drive-thru, choose “Use at Restaurant” to generate a 4-digit reward code to present to crew before ordering.
- For McDelivery orders placed through the McDonald’s app (not third-party platforms), add the reward item directly to the delivery cart.
Key rules to note. Members can only redeem one reward per order, and points continue to be earned on all other items purchased in the same transaction.[23] Redemption is not available on delivery orders placed through third-party platforms such as DoorDash or Uber Eats.[24]
McValue and app-exclusive deals
MyMcDonald’s Rewards works alongside McDonald’s broader value ecosystem rather than operating in isolation. The McValue platform adds several app-exclusive offers that reward members beyond the standard points program.[25]
- Free Fries Friday gives app members a free medium fries with any $1 purchase, every Friday. This weekly recurring offer was available throughout 2025 and is one of the highest-frequency value mechanics McDonald’s has run at national scale.[26]
- Buy One, Add One for $1 is available on popular breakfast, lunch, and dinner items, allowing members to add a second item for $1 when purchasing one full-priced item.[27]
- The Under $3 Menu, expanded in April 2026, offers ten items priced below $3 at participating restaurants nationwide, including the McChicken, McDouble, 4-piece Chicken McNuggets, Sausage McMuffin, and Hash Browns.[28]
- New user offer provides a free McCrispy chicken sandwich to customers who download the app and join for the first time.[29]
Together, these offers mean active members can receive meaningful additional value on top of their points accumulation, particularly on high-frequency visits.
Gamification and seasonal promotions
Monopoly at McDonald’s
One of the most significant examples of custome rengagement mechanics layered onto a loyalty program is the annual McDonald’s Monopoly Game[30]
Member need to be enrolled in the program and registered for the game through the app to participate. Key features for the US version include:
- Physical and digital game pieces on over 30 eligible menu items, with physical pieces scannable in the app and digital pieces issued automatically for app orders.[31]
- Instant win prizes including free food, MyMcDonald’s Rewards points, and other items, with a stated one-in-five chance of winning an instant prize.[32]
- Collect-to-win properties tied to the Monopoly board, with prizes including 1 million American Airlines AAdvantage miles, a $10,000 Lowe’s shopping spree, a Winnebago RV, a trip to a MONOPOLY GO! destination, and a $1 million cash grand prize.[33]
- Bonus Play giving each game piece a second-chance digital roll in the app.[34]
- Pre-registration bonus of 500 MyMcDonald’s Rewards points for members who registered between September 29 and October 5, before the game launched.[35]
This hybrid mechanic, combining points earning with prize-based game mechanics, is a textbook example of the variable ratio reinforcement principle. As Skinner’s foundational research on reinforcement schedules demonstrates, unpredictable reward outcomes sustain engagement far more effectively than fixed, predictable ones.[36] The Monopoly game adds an element of genuine uncertainty on top of McDonald’s otherwise consistent earn-and-redeem mechanic, widening its appeal to members who might otherwise plateau in program engagement.
Tips to maximise your MyMcDonald’s Rewards
As loyalty program experts, we have identified the following strategies for getting the most from MyMcDonald’s Rewards.
- Always order through the app when possible. App-based ordering removes the risk of forgetting to scan and unlocks exclusive deals that are not available in-store. Free Fries Friday and other app-only offers add meaningful value on top of standard points accumulation.
- Monitor your Deals tab daily. Personalised bonus offers refresh regularly and are tailored to individual purchase history. A member who buys McCafé coffee regularly may see triple-point coffee offers that a burger-focused member does not. These targeted promotions are among the highest-value earning opportunities in the program.
- Save points for higher tiers. The program allows members to hold their points and redeem at any tier. Redeeming at Tier 4 for a Big Mac or Quarter Pounder delivers significantly better value per dollar spent than immediately redeeming at Tier 1 for a cheeseburger. Given the six-month expiry window, most regular customers have ample time to accumulate toward the higher tiers.
- Link your payment card. The 1,500 bonus points awarded for linking a card to the app for the first time is one of the easiest high-value bonuses in the program. It also sets up the habit of ordering and paying through the app in a single motion.
- Track promotional calendars. Double points events and seasonal campaigns like Monopoly run on predictable cadences. Members who stay across push notifications and check the app regularly can time larger purchases around these windows to accelerate accumulation significantly.
- Remember the expiry date. Points expire on the first day of the month following six months from the earn date. Members who have accumulated a meaningful balance should check the expiry date in the app before that window closes, particularly if visit frequency drops temporarily.
Common issues and solutions
Even well-designed programs have friction points. Here are the most common issues MyMcDonald’s Rewards members encounter and how to resolve them.
- Missing points. If points do not appear within 24 hours of a purchase, members can submit the order receipt through the “Missing Points” feature in the app. Include the order number, subtotal, and email address linked to the account.[37]
- Code not accepted at drive-thru. The 4-digit code must be presented before the order is placed, not after. Ensure the code is active by opening the Earn Points tab before approaching the speaker. Codes refresh regularly.
- Redemption not applying. Select the reward item from the Rewards tab before adding other items to a mobile order cart. The “Add to Mobile Order” flow must be initiated from the rewards selection screen for the reward to apply correctly.[38]
- Third-party delivery. Points cannot be earned on orders placed through DoorDash, Grubhub, or Uber Eats. McDelivery orders placed directly through the McDonald’s app do earn points and support reward redemption.[39]
- Account access issues. Members who previously used Facebook login should use the email associated with that account along with a new password created through the standard recovery flow.
The psychology of MyMcDonald’s Rewards
The behavioral design of MyMcDonald’s Rewards is worth examining, and it is a program that loyalty researchers would find closely aligned with established psychological principles.
Habit formation at scale
Research by Wood and Neal (2007) on the habit-goal interface demonstrates that loyalty programs can cause consumers to engage in recursive purchases that develop into habitual consumption, further increasing visit frequency.[40] McDonald’s operates in one of the highest-frequency food categories in existence, and the app mechanic works as an environmental cue in the habit loop framework. For a member who orders coffee or lunch daily, opening the McDonald’s app becomes an automatic trigger, not a deliberate decision.
Goal gradient and tier design
The four-tier redemption structure draws directly on what Kivetz, Urminsky and Zheng (2006) identified as the goal gradient effect in loyalty programs. Their research across a real-world coffee shop loyalty program showed that members accelerate their purchase frequency as they approach a reward threshold, with inter-purchase time decreasing by 20% from the first to the last step of the reward cycle.[42]
The Tier 1 threshold of just 1,500 points ($15 in spend) is deliberately designed to be achievable quickly, putting new members in the steepest part of the goal gradient almost immediately. From there, each subsequent tier creates a new goal, sustaining motivation across successive cycles.
Variable ratio reinforcement and surprise
The gamification elements layered onto MyMcDonald’s Rewards, most visibly through the Monopoly promotion and randomised bonus point events, reflect Skinner’s (1938) finding that variable ratio reinforcement produces the most persistent behavior patterns.[43] When members do not know which visit might deliver a bonus point multiplier or a Monopoly instant-win prize, engagement with the app remains higher than it would under a fully predictable fixed-rate system.
How does it rate against Loyalty and Reward Co’s Essential Eight Principles?
As a global loyalty consulting company, Loyalty and Reward Co has developed the Essential Eight principles. These are elements which appear in all best-practice loyalty programs. Here is how MyMcDonald’s Rewards rates against each one:
Is it Simple?
The program excels on simplicity. One earn rate (100 points per $1), four redemption tiers, and a single app to manage everything. Earning and redeeming require only a code or a scan. New members can understand the full program in under two minutes. The deliberate decision to avoid tiered membership, annual qualification windows, and complex bonus structures keeps the program broadly accessible and operationally efficient.[44]
Is it Valuable?
The program delivers strong perceived value, with a return on spend of up to 7.4% comparing favorably to key QSR competitors.[45] The Tier 1 threshold of $15 qualifying spend means members receive their first reward faster than in almost any comparable QSR program. When combined with McValue deals, Free Fries Friday, and personalised bonus offers, the overall value proposition for active members is genuinely compelling.
Is it Stimulating?
The program scores well on stimulation, with bonus point events running approximately every six weeks, personalised offers based on purchase history, and seasonal gamification activations like the Monopoly promotion delivering genuine excitement. The Ready on Arrival geofencing feature, which uses the app to alert kitchen staff when a mobile order member is approaching, also improves the experience at a transactional level, reducing drive-thru wait times in pilot markets.[46]
Is it Emotional?
The emotional dimension is the program’s most developmental area. The functional proposition is strong, but the program relies primarily on transactional mechanics rather than deeper brand connection. The Monopoly game, with its cultural nostalgia and community-sharing dynamic, is the clearest emotional touchpoint in the current design. McDonald’s has the brand heritage and cultural familiarity to build stronger emotional engagement, and this remains an opportunity.[47]
Is it Complementary?
The program integrates tightly with McDonald’s broader ecosystem. Rewards points are stackable with McValue deals, app-exclusive offers, and local franchise promotions. Mobile ordering, payment, and rewards all exist within a single app. The ready-on-arrival geofencing feature connects loyalty membership directly to service speed, creating a functional advantage that is visible to members at the moment of experience.[48]
Is it Accessible?
Accessibility is a genuine strength. The program is free to join, available on any smartphone, and requires no prior spending or qualification to start earning. The minimum redemption threshold of 1,500 points ($15 in spend) is among the lowest in QSR loyalty. With approximately 13,500 US restaurants and 185 million active global users, the distribution and participation scale is unmatched in the fast food category.[49]
Is it Differentiating?
The program’s core earn-and-redeem structure is relatively standard across QSR loyalty programs, and Burger King and Wendy’s both operate competing programs with broadly similar mechanics. Where McDonald’s differentiates is in scale, the Monopoly cultural activation, the integration of geofencing technology, and the McValue ecosystem. The 26-visits-per-year figure for loyalty members versus 10.5 for non-members is a commercially meaningful differentiator even if the program mechanics themselves are not unique.[50]
Is it Cost-Effective?
The program demonstrates strong cost-effectiveness at scale. Loyalty members generated $30 billion in sales in 2024, a 30% year-on-year increase, and McDonald’s CEO Chris Kempczinski has noted that loyalty customers spend more than their non-digital counterparts across every measured metric.[51] The gamification elements, as Bravo, Catalán and Pina (2023) found across their research into loyalty program design, can also reduce reward-level sensitivity, meaning members remain engaged at lower reward generosity levels than a non-gamified equivalent program would require.[52]
Is it Evolving?
The program has evolved consistently since its 2021 US launch. The McValue platform, the 2025 Monopoly return, the Ready on Arrival geofencing rollout, the Under $3 Menu expansion in April 2026, and the ongoing integration of personalised offers all reflect a commitment to continuous development. McDonald’s stated target of 250 million active users by 2027, with a corresponding $45 billion in annual loyalty sales, signals that meaningful investment in the program continues.[53]
Conclusion
MyMcDonald’s Rewards is one of the most commercially productive loyalty programs in the world. From a standing start in July 2021, it has grown to 185 million active global users and is demonstrably changing member behavior at scale. The shift from 10.5 to 26 annual visits when a customer joins the program is the kind of frequency outcome that most loyalty programs aspire to but few achieve.
The program’s strength lies in its simplicity, the speed at which new members reach their first reward, and its integration with McDonald’s broader value platform. The gamification layer, most powerfully expressed through the Monopoly promotion, adds genuine engagement depth that the core earn-and-redeem mechanic alone could not deliver.
As loyalty experts, we rate MyMcDonald’s Rewards as a best-in-class QSR program, with clear opportunities to deepen emotional engagement and to bring more of its global customer base into the loyalty ecosystem. For members, the opportunity is straightforward. Download the app, opt in, and start earning. The first reward is closer than you think.
References
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[2] CX Dive. (2025). McDonald’s loyalty program is making progress, but executives see work ahead. https://www.customerexperiencedive.com/news/mcdonalds-loyalty-program-is-making-progress-but-executives-see-work-ahea/756997/
[3] PYMNTS. (2025). McDonald’s Sees Boost in Loyalty Amid Challenges in Q4 Earnings. https://www.pymnts.com/earnings/2025/mcdonalds-sees-boost-in-loyalty-amid-challenges-in-q4-earnings/
[4] McDonald’s. (2025). MyMcDonald’s Rewards FAQ. https://www.mcdonalds.com/us/en-us/faq/mymcdonalds-rewards.html
[5] McDonald’s. (2025). MyMcDonald’s Rewards FAQ. https://www.mcdonalds.com/us/en-us/faq/mymcdonalds-rewards.html
[6] McDonald’s. (2025). MyMcDonald’s Rewards. https://www.mcdonalds.com/us/en-us/mymcdonalds.html
[7] McDonald’s. (2025). MyMcDonald’s Rewards. https://www.mcdonalds.com/us/en-us/mymcdonalds.html
[8] McDonald’s. (2025). MyMcDonald’s Rewards FAQ. https://www.mcdonalds.com/us/en-us/faq/mymcdonalds-rewards.html
[9] AMW Group. (2025). McDonald’s Rewards Program Boosts Loyalty and Digital Growth. https://amworldgroup.com/blog/mcdonalds-reward-program
[10] McDonald’s. (2025). MyMcDonald’s Rewards FAQ. https://www.mcdonalds.com/us/en-us/faq/mymcdonalds-rewards.html
[11] McDonald’s. (2025). MyMcDonald’s Rewards. https://www.mcdonalds.com/us/en-us/mymcdonalds.html
[12] Mac Menus. (2025). MyMcDonald’s Rewards. https://www.mac-menus.com/rewards-points/
[13] McDonald’s. (2025). MyMcDonald’s Rewards. https://www.mcdonalds.com/us/en-us/mymcdonalds.html
[14] Loyalty and Reward Co. (2024). Do Loyalty Programs Work? Just ask McDonald’s. https://loyaltyrewardco.com/do-loyalty-programs-work-just-ask-mcdonalds/
[15] McDonald’s. (2025). MyMcDonald’s Rewards FAQ. https://www.mcdonalds.com/us/en-us/faq/mymcdonalds-rewards.html
[16] AMW Group. (2025). McDonald’s Rewards Program Boosts Loyalty and Digital Growth. https://amworldgroup.com/blog/mcdonalds-reward-program
[17] AMW Group. (2025). McDonald’s Rewards Program Boosts Loyalty and Digital Growth. https://amworldgroup.com/blog/mcdonalds-reward-program
[18] McDonald’s Corporate. (2025). Get Ready to Pass GO: MONOPOLY Game at McDonald’s Returns. https://corporate.mcdonalds.com/corpmcd/our-stories/article/monopoly-returns-more-chances-towin.html
[19] Mac Menus. (2025). MyMcDonald’s Rewards. https://www.mac-menus.com/rewards-points/
[20] McDonald’s. (2025). MyMcDonald’s Rewards. https://www.mcdonalds.com/us/en-us/mymcdonalds.html
[21] CX Dive. (2025). McDonald’s loyalty program is making progress, but executives see work ahead. https://www.customerexperiencedive.com/news/mcdonalds-loyalty-program-is-making-progress-but-executives-see-work-ahea/756997/
[22] Loyalty and Reward Co. (2024). Do Loyalty Programs Work? Just ask McDonald’s. https://loyaltyrewardco.com/do-loyalty-programs-work-just-ask-mcdonalds/
[23] McDonald’s. (2025). MyMcDonald’s Rewards FAQ. https://www.mcdonalds.com/us/en-us/faq/mymcdonalds-rewards.html
[24] McDonald’s. (2025). MyMcDonald’s Rewards. https://www.mcdonalds.com/us/en-us/mymcdonalds.html
[25] McDonald’s Corporate. (2025). McDonald’s Launching McValue Platform in US Restaurants in 2025. https://corporate.mcdonalds.com/corpmcd/our-stories/article/mcdonalds-launching-mcvalue-platform-inus-restaurants-in2025.html
[26] McDonald’s Corporate. (2024). McDonald’s Kicks Off Summer of Value Across the US. https://corporate.mcdonalds.com/corpmcd/our-stories/article/mcdonalds-kicks-off-summer-ofvalue-across-the-us.html
[27] McDonald’s Corporate. (2025). McDonald’s Launching McValue Platform in US Restaurants in 2025. https://corporate.mcdonalds.com/corpmcd/our-stories/article/mcdonalds-launching-mcvalue-platform-inus-restaurants-in2025.html
[28] McDonald’s Corporate. (2026). McDonald’s USA Introduces New Under $3 Menu and $4 Breakfast Meal Deal to the McValue Menu. https://corporate.mcdonalds.com/corpmcd/our-stories/article/mcdolands-usa-introduces-mcvalue.html
[29] McDonald’s Corporate. (2025). McDonald’s Launching McValue Platform in US Restaurants in 2025. https://corporate.mcdonalds.com/corpmcd/our-stories/article/mcdonalds-launching-mcvalue-platform-inus-restaurants-in2025.html
[30] McDonald’s Corporate. (2025). Get Ready to Pass GO: MONOPOLY Game at McDonald’s Returns. https://corporate.mcdonalds.com/corpmcd/our-stories/article/monopoly-returns-more-chances-towin.html
[31] CBS News. (2025). McDonald’s is bringing back its Monopoly Game after nearly 10 years. https://www.cbsnews.com/news/mcdonalds-monopoly-prizes-2025/
[32] CBS News. (2025). McDonald’s is bringing back its Monopoly Game after nearly 10 years. https://www.cbsnews.com/news/mcdonalds-monopoly-prizes-2025/
[33] Her Campus. (2025). What Are The McDonald’s Monopoly Game Prizes For 2025? https://www.hercampus.com/life/mcdonalds-monopoly-game-prizes-2025/
[34] Axios. (2025). McDonald’s Monopoly game returns next week after checkered past. https://www.axios.com/2025/09/29/monopoly-mcdonalds-2025-game-app-prizes
[35] Today. (2025). McDonald’s is bringing back its Monopoly game after a decade. https://www.today.com/food/news/mcdonalds-monopoly-game-returns-rcna233979
[36] Skinner, B.F. (1938). The Behavior of Organisms: An Experimental Analysis. Appleton-Century-Crofts. See also the variable ratio reinforcement application in loyalty program design via Loyalty and Reward Co’s research wiki.
[37] AMW Group. (2025). McDonald’s Rewards Program Boosts Loyalty and Digital Growth. https://amworldgroup.com/blog/mcdonalds-reward-program
[38] McDonald’s. (2025). MyMcDonald’s Rewards FAQ. https://www.mcdonalds.com/us/en-us/faq/mymcdonalds-rewards.html
[39] McDonald’s. (2025). MyMcDonald’s Rewards. https://www.mcdonalds.com/us/en-us/mymcdonalds.html
[40] Wood, W. and Neal, D.T. (2007). A new look at habits and the habit-goal interface. Psychological Review, 114(4), 843-863.
[41] CX Dive. (2025). McDonald’s loyalty program is making progress, but executives see work ahead. https://www.customerexperiencedive.com/news/mcdonalds-loyalty-program-is-making-progress-but-executives-see-work-ahea/756997/
[42] Kivetz, R., Urminsky, O. and Zheng, Y. (2006). The goal-gradient hypothesis resurrected: purchase acceleration, illusionary goal progress, and customer retention. Journal of Marketing Research, 43(1), 39-58.
[43] Skinner, B.F. (1938). The Behavior of Organisms: An Experimental Analysis. Appleton-Century-Crofts.
[44] McDonald’s. (2025). MyMcDonald’s Rewards. https://www.mcdonalds.com/us/en-us/mymcdonalds.html
[45] Loyalty and Reward Co. (2024). Do Loyalty Programs Work? Just ask McDonald’s. https://loyaltyrewardco.com/do-loyalty-programs-work-just-ask-mcdonalds/
[46] Restaurant Dive. (2025). McDonald’s looks to loyalty to recapture traffic after disappointing quarter. https://www.restaurantdive.com/news/mcdonalds-loyalty-recapture-traffic-accelerating-the-arches/739741/
[47] Loyalty and Reward Co. (2024). Do Loyalty Programs Work? Just ask McDonald’s. https://loyaltyrewardco.com/do-loyalty-programs-work-just-ask-mcdonalds/
[48] Restaurant Dive. (2025). McDonald’s looks to loyalty to recapture traffic after disappointing quarter. https://www.restaurantdive.com/news/mcdonalds-loyalty-recapture-traffic-accelerating-the-arches/739741/
[49] QSR Magazine. (2021). MyMcDonald’s Rewards Surges Past 21 Million Members. https://www.qsrmagazine.com/operations/technology/mymcdonalds-rewards-surges-past-21-million-members/
[50] Flavor365. (2025). MyMcDonald’s Rewards (2025): How The Points Program Works. https://flavor365.com/mcdonalds-app-points-program-a-complete-users-guide/
[51] PYMNTS. (2025). McDonald’s Sees Boost in Loyalty Amid Challenges in Q4 Earnings. https://www.pymnts.com/earnings/2025/mcdonalds-sees-boost-in-loyalty-amid-challenges-in-q4-earnings/
[52] Bravo, R., Catalán, S. and Pina, J.M. (2023). Gamification in loyalty programs: evidence from the hotel sector. Journal of Hospitality and Tourism Technology, 14(3).
[53] PYMNTS. (2025). McDonald’s Sees Boost in Loyalty Amid Challenges in Q4 Earnings. https://www.pymnts.com/earnings/2025/mcdonalds-sees-boost-in-loyalty-amid-challenges-in-q4-earnings/
