Evolving McDonald's Rewards with Loyalteez

McDonald's MyRewards gives ~9.6% back. Simple. But that 9.6% only works at McDonald's. What if your Big Mac earned you value everywhere?

McDonald's has loyalty done simply: 100 points per $1, four redemption tiers, no status levels, immediate gratification. 35.7 million members. 40%+ digital sales. It works. But it's a closed loop—points earned at McDonald's can only be spent at McDonald's.

The Old Model: MyMcDonald's Points

Redemption Tiers

Spend $60 → 6,000 points → Big Mac (~$5.79) = ~9.6% return. Generous for QSR.

Where McDonald's Falls Short

1. Closed-loop — Points only work at McDonald's; zero acquisition power from program
2. App-only — No card, no web redemption; limits accessibility
3. 6-month activity — Must transact to keep points alive (soft expiration)
4. High redemption cost — 9.6% return is expensive; franchisees bear the cost

The Loyalteez Redesign

McDonald's already invests ~9-10% in rewards. Reallocate:

The Acquisition Flip

McDonald's creates perks redeemable with LTZ: free menu items, secret menu access, early access to new products, exclusive merchandise.

Now flip it: Customers earning LTZ at Starbucks, gas stations, grocery stores—they can all redeem at McDonald's for perks. That's not retention. That's acquisition.

How to Implement It

// McDonald's order
await fetch('https://api.loyalteez.app/loyalteez-api/manual-event', {
  method: 'POST',
  headers: { 'Content-Type': 'application/json' },
  body: JSON.stringify({
    brandId: process.env.LOYALTEEZ_BRAND_ID,
    eventType: 'place_order',
    userEmail: customer.email,
    domain: 'mcdonalds.com',
    metadata: {
      order_id: order.id,
      order_value: order.total,
      // Crosswalk: Old model = 100 pts per $1
      legacy_points_equivalent: Math.floor(order.total * 100),
      // Loyalteez: 3% = 30 LTZ per $1
      ltz_earned: Math.floor(order.total * 30),
      drive_thru: order.isDriverThru,
      app_order: true
    }
  })
});

// Perks replace point redemptions
// 150 LTZ = Free McChicken (was 1,500 points)
// 600 LTZ = Free Big Mac (was 6,000 points)

See: Event Handler API

Before/After Summary

For McDonald's

For Customers

The Headline

McDonald's Rewards already works. 35.7 million members. 40%+ digital sales. Simple math.

Now imagine: That value portable. That brand accessible. That investment lower (7% vs. 9.6%). That growth network-driven.

McDonald's doesn't need to reinvent loyalty. McDonald's needs to open it.

The QSR that connects to the ecosystem first creates the moat.

See Also

• Evolving Starbucks Rewards — Similar QSR-style evolution
• Evolving MyPanera — Fast-casual loyalty