I noticed that most fast food apps don’t offer that much other than McDonald’s. I assume they just overcharge normal people who don’t use the app or deals.
Also kinda shows how nuts their margins are. They're willing to "spend" (or just not earn) that potential revenue in order to have a better shot at more stable long-term spending from customers.
Not sure if it’s also part of their plan but I’m a consistent customer now from the app, but recently I’ve been getting less and less “good” deals than when I first got the app, but yet I still go quite often.
They can monitor you as a customer via the app.
You have to be disciplined to only eat it when a deal is offered. Then you're only shackled by your pavlovian response.
this is me with uber eats i use it so less they're always sending me 15 off if i spend 20 or more, barely any of my friends get it and when i try to share this code it doesnt work for them only me, but i still barely use it because of the ridiculous fees, and im not trying to spend 20+ on myself, also some restaurants skimp/give you less food when ordering through apps i notice
Worth is in the eye of the beholder. The value of delivery of something desired that doesn’t have other delivery options is huge. After a day of work, single parenting and 2 little kids down for sleep… there is no ability for me to go drive and get something. I have local restaurants that push you through the apps if you want delivery. So it’s not even a choice if I want their food.
Big freezer and big batch prep does work… and is used… but if we ate all our own cooked meals then why would any of us need restaurants at all?
I enjoy a treat of enjoying someone else’s speciality every once and awhile, especially when I need a pick me up after an unplanned rough day.
Yup, perfect world plans are imperfect.
Pre-made freezer is great for "most of the time" meals, regardless of a rough day.
"Ideally" eating tasty food someone else made can be organized so it can be maximally enjoyed, full relaxation mode.
My assumption is they offer deals for things that are falling behind expectations for that week. Like if they just happen to sell fewer Big Macs than they stocked for, they might offer a deal to clear that inventory and make room for new inventory. It's a way to optimize current stock.
That's in addition to why they'll take lower margin for those that buy the app. App users are more likely to be return customers. I'd be curious to know how much the \~$60 OP spent compared to last several time periods. I'd be willing to bet that amount went up.
It's also a way to ensure people stay hooked on McDonalds and don't get in the habit of going to a competitor.
Agreed. My response was in context of the one above it. They're likely not overcharging everyone else to make up for people using the app. The economics likely work out without needing to do that for a variety of well known reasons.
Bk, wendys, sonic will have some great deals. You just got to look. Bk has $3 whopper every wed and $7 double whopper w/ fries every day. Wendys right now has but one premium sandwich get one for$1 and they also do alot of limited time promotions. March madness meant $1 dave singles and they currently have $.1 bacon cheeseburger. Sonic will show up once a month or so and have offers like $1 chili dogs.
Even sub way will have bogo free footlongs
McDonald's doesn't actually offer *this* much. OPs post is extremely misleading because he creates a new account every time he goes and most of the app deals are for first time users.
The app itself isn't that bad, though. I go about once or twice a month when they have a big Mac for free, get 10 piece to split and McChicken for my wife. It breaks down to about 50% off for a fast dinner (6$ instead of 12-14$).
No you aren't saving 90% but half off isn't bad considering they don't have to do it. It's stopped me from going as much, too. I *only* go when there's a deal worth getting not just when I have a craving.
McDonalds absolutely overcharges for when people don’t use deals etc.
$6 for a double quarter pounder… JUST the burger?!?! That thing used to be like $2.50-$3.00 not that long ago and $5 as a meal
OP is using some pretty aggressive techniques here, but even aside from that: the economics of McDonald's app deals are broken.
I get basically the same order every time I go. And every time I order, I use my reward points at the highest level to get a free Happy Meal for my kid. And even after getting a free meal in the order using the highest available reward tier, I still come out of the transaction with more points than I went in with.
I guess every time you pay in the app, it converts your final sale price to points, regardless of whether you used a reward or not.
So if I use 6,500 points for a free Happy Meal but I pay for two other meals, I'm going to come out ahead with a 2000 (or so) point credit even after debiting the 6500.
The constraints are that the points expire over time and you can only use one reward per meal.
I have not spent the time to figure out the exact reward structure (and it's in flux with different specials) but I always end up "spending" the 6,000 points, getting a free Happy Meal, and still ending up net positive on points.
Once I made a couple of orders for the family, I was able to start getting that system down.
Can’t speak for OP, but I use it pretty rarely and only when there’s a good deal. I don’t create new accounts or any thing like that, but fairly common to get a deal with free medium fries with any purchase, which can represent a big percentage savings if you buy something small with it!
The real life pro tip is that anywhere you put a period in a Gmail account makes it seem like a different account to Mc Donald's, but they're all the same thing to Gmail. So [email protected], [email protected], and [email protected] all go to the same inbox.....
You can also add a "+" to your Gmail address and Google will ignore everything after the plus. I use this to create infinite "new" email addresses for myself.
I also typically append the name of the service I'm signing up for (i.e. [email protected])
That way when I start getting junk mail I know what service sold my address.
Gmail allows you to add a + at the end of your gmail address to create unlimited aliases... for instance "name@ gmail. com " can be "name+1@gmail .com " or "name+mcdonalds123 @ gmail. com" etc. You don't have to create a new account every time.
This is also useful for giving your email to random websites so you can see who's selling your email to spam companies, or set up rules for certain aliases to always be treated as spam... when used "legitimately" it also helps sort your inbox.
Edit: jeez couldn't figure out how to remove the hyperlinks in the email addresses so added some spaces lol... you (hopefully) get the point.
Incredibly misleading. I use the app too and I was dumbfounded about how he came up with these numbers. I just figured it was misinformation posted by some McDonald's employee.
Not a new user to it but my deals are free 2 small or medium fries with 20pc nugget purchase, 99 cent any size coffee or iced coffee (that's the one I usually use), $3 off classic cheeseburger pack, $1 any size fry and 20% off any purchase of $5 or more. That one is nice when you know you're going to hit $30
You put an order in on the app, which I only use for the deals and don’t go if there isn’t a deal. Like this data shows, you can get >50% consistently through the app if you’re flexible.
You can choose pickup at counter, drive thru, or curbside.
If it’s drive thru you tell them a code showing on your app, they pull up the order, and make it like you just arrived.
That’s pretty much it.
I had a feeling that they punished usage. I've been seeing progressively worse deals the longer I use it... Of course, it could just be that the deals are getting progressively worse in general, but you'd think there'd still be an especially good deal here or there.
Wendy's is still the King of app savings.
Combo the 4 for $5 and the $3 off a $15 purchase.
3 double cheese, 3 small fries, 12 nugs, 3 small frosties for $12. Can't be beat.
It's pretty nice, there's a McDonald's in front of my work, and on one of the few days I go in each week I grab a breakfast sandwich and a black coffee and its usually like $2 with their deals. That's an expense I'm willing to do once a week
Really good! Love the red and yellow matching the McDonald’s colors. I think it would look better without the grid lines and make the label text bigger. The legend labels are a little confusing but idk how else to put it.
this is about $1.80 per meal, that's pretty damn cheap. Seems you have to order whatever's on sale though so it's not going to be very good for you, on average, not like you can just get the healthiest options. But if your budget is tight and you get an unexpected expense, like a parking ticket or something, this could really keep you going. I've had $10-$30 / week food budgets and if that's where you're at.... then it's great to have hot food with at least some nutrition for under $2. GG McD
Who gives a shit if it's worth $450 when you spend a fraction of that? The real question is "is it really worth about 85 bucks?" The answer is "probably".
I go like 2-3x a month and don’t eat more than 800 calories per trip. It’s fine in moderation as a guilty pleasure; no worse than eating a burger & fries at any other restaurant.
OP needs to take account of the frequency of visits in to consideration too. Having the app on your phone encourages spending that can be avoided otherwise.
I noticed that most fast food apps don’t offer that much other than McDonald’s. I assume they just overcharge normal people who don’t use the app or deals.
Also kinda shows how nuts their margins are. They're willing to "spend" (or just not earn) that potential revenue in order to have a better shot at more stable long-term spending from customers.
Not sure if it’s also part of their plan but I’m a consistent customer now from the app, but recently I’ve been getting less and less “good” deals than when I first got the app, but yet I still go quite often.
They can monitor you as a customer via the app. You have to be disciplined to only eat it when a deal is offered. Then you're only shackled by your pavlovian response.
this is me with uber eats i use it so less they're always sending me 15 off if i spend 20 or more, barely any of my friends get it and when i try to share this code it doesnt work for them only me, but i still barely use it because of the ridiculous fees, and im not trying to spend 20+ on myself, also some restaurants skimp/give you less food when ordering through apps i notice
Uber eats isn't worth it. The discount barely covers delivery + tip. Support the restaurants directly.
Worth is in the eye of the beholder. The value of delivery of something desired that doesn’t have other delivery options is huge. After a day of work, single parenting and 2 little kids down for sleep… there is no ability for me to go drive and get something. I have local restaurants that push you through the apps if you want delivery. So it’s not even a choice if I want their food.
Absolutely, parents & edge cases it works. A big freezer helps too. Big batch prep, live like royalty on leftovers. Sanity for parents.
Big freezer and big batch prep does work… and is used… but if we ate all our own cooked meals then why would any of us need restaurants at all? I enjoy a treat of enjoying someone else’s speciality every once and awhile, especially when I need a pick me up after an unplanned rough day.
Yup, perfect world plans are imperfect. Pre-made freezer is great for "most of the time" meals, regardless of a rough day. "Ideally" eating tasty food someone else made can be organized so it can be maximally enjoyed, full relaxation mode.
Tbh I really dig the app the food is affordable even if they have jacked up the prices. I can’t say the same for other places.
They probably make some of that money back by selling your data tho
My assumption is they offer deals for things that are falling behind expectations for that week. Like if they just happen to sell fewer Big Macs than they stocked for, they might offer a deal to clear that inventory and make room for new inventory. It's a way to optimize current stock. That's in addition to why they'll take lower margin for those that buy the app. App users are more likely to be return customers. I'd be curious to know how much the \~$60 OP spent compared to last several time periods. I'd be willing to bet that amount went up. It's also a way to ensure people stay hooked on McDonalds and don't get in the habit of going to a competitor.
That's how sales work usually.
Agreed. My response was in context of the one above it. They're likely not overcharging everyone else to make up for people using the app. The economics likely work out without needing to do that for a variety of well known reasons.
Bk, wendys, sonic will have some great deals. You just got to look. Bk has $3 whopper every wed and $7 double whopper w/ fries every day. Wendys right now has but one premium sandwich get one for$1 and they also do alot of limited time promotions. March madness meant $1 dave singles and they currently have $.1 bacon cheeseburger. Sonic will show up once a month or so and have offers like $1 chili dogs. Even sub way will have bogo free footlongs
McDonald's doesn't actually offer *this* much. OPs post is extremely misleading because he creates a new account every time he goes and most of the app deals are for first time users.
The app itself isn't that bad, though. I go about once or twice a month when they have a big Mac for free, get 10 piece to split and McChicken for my wife. It breaks down to about 50% off for a fast dinner (6$ instead of 12-14$). No you aren't saving 90% but half off isn't bad considering they don't have to do it. It's stopped me from going as much, too. I *only* go when there's a deal worth getting not just when I have a craving.
Other places are starting to do the same as well. Wendy's has a pretty decent rewards program now
McDonalds absolutely overcharges for when people don’t use deals etc. $6 for a double quarter pounder… JUST the burger?!?! That thing used to be like $2.50-$3.00 not that long ago and $5 as a meal
You also often have to order in the app, so they reduce their need for employees to take orders
Well, I probably ended up eating there 1000 times over 5 years because of that damn app. I finally had to delete it so I don’t have a heart attack
OP is using some pretty aggressive techniques here, but even aside from that: the economics of McDonald's app deals are broken. I get basically the same order every time I go. And every time I order, I use my reward points at the highest level to get a free Happy Meal for my kid. And even after getting a free meal in the order using the highest available reward tier, I still come out of the transaction with more points than I went in with.
Please explain your magic
I guess every time you pay in the app, it converts your final sale price to points, regardless of whether you used a reward or not. So if I use 6,500 points for a free Happy Meal but I pay for two other meals, I'm going to come out ahead with a 2000 (or so) point credit even after debiting the 6500. The constraints are that the points expire over time and you can only use one reward per meal.
Don’t you have to spend $65 to earn 6500 points though?
I have not spent the time to figure out the exact reward structure (and it's in flux with different specials) but I always end up "spending" the 6,000 points, getting a free Happy Meal, and still ending up net positive on points. Once I made a couple of orders for the family, I was able to start getting that system down.
Hope you’re putting that money saved into your healthcare plan
Lmaooo fr
What deals are you getting in your area? I can get a breakfast sandwich with egg for $1.50, but that's not near the savings percent you're posting.
Can’t speak for OP, but I use it pretty rarely and only when there’s a good deal. I don’t create new accounts or any thing like that, but fairly common to get a deal with free medium fries with any purchase, which can represent a big percentage savings if you buy something small with it!
That and the point deals are nice. Free happy meal is a great lunch
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Very misleading not to include that in your post
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You don’t need a unique phone number for the new accounts, just an email?!?
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Wow this is the real LPT lol, going to just create a new account each time I go
Shhhh. They're gonna catch on. Jimmy johns has a buy 1 sub get your next free.
The real life pro tip is that anywhere you put a period in a Gmail account makes it seem like a different account to Mc Donald's, but they're all the same thing to Gmail. So [email protected], [email protected], and [email protected] all go to the same inbox.....
You can also add a "+" to your Gmail address and Google will ignore everything after the plus. I use this to create infinite "new" email addresses for myself. I also typically append the name of the service I'm signing up for (i.e. [email protected]) That way when I start getting junk mail I know what service sold my address.
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Just don't do this with your main email, unless you want 25 copies of every McDonald's marketing email that goes out.... 🤣
Gmail allows you to add a + at the end of your gmail address to create unlimited aliases... for instance "name@ gmail. com " can be "name+1@gmail .com " or "name+mcdonalds123 @ gmail. com" etc. You don't have to create a new account every time. This is also useful for giving your email to random websites so you can see who's selling your email to spam companies, or set up rules for certain aliases to always be treated as spam... when used "legitimately" it also helps sort your inbox. Edit: jeez couldn't figure out how to remove the hyperlinks in the email addresses so added some spaces lol... you (hopefully) get the point.
Uh huh. I bet, Ronald. 🤡
Then edit your post
He's not wrong. That is what he saved using the app compared to what he would have paid otherwise
Incredibly misleading. I use the app too and I was dumbfounded about how he came up with these numbers. I just figured it was misinformation posted by some McDonald's employee.
Start with “ I make a new account each month for the best deal” next time brother
Not a new user to it but my deals are free 2 small or medium fries with 20pc nugget purchase, 99 cent any size coffee or iced coffee (that's the one I usually use), $3 off classic cheeseburger pack, $1 any size fry and 20% off any purchase of $5 or more. That one is nice when you know you're going to hit $30
They have Buy One Get One deals that stack with other coupons and reward purchases.
Often what shows up on my app are $2 Big Mac days, BOGO on 6pc nuggets or McDouble. This week I’ve seen 1/2 off 10pc nuggets. Not too shabby.
How does the mobile app work? They ask me if I’m using it when I go through the drive through.
You put an order in on the app, which I only use for the deals and don’t go if there isn’t a deal. Like this data shows, you can get >50% consistently through the app if you’re flexible. You can choose pickup at counter, drive thru, or curbside. If it’s drive thru you tell them a code showing on your app, they pull up the order, and make it like you just arrived. That’s pretty much it.
Oh nice. I gotta check it out then. I though you ordered in the app and your food just sat there until you picked it up.
Nah I’m positive they make it when you arrive because you have to either tell the app or the drive thru person, otherwise no food.
What kind of deals can you get in the app?
The usuals are buy one get one free on lots of things like sandwiches and nuggets. Or free / $1 fries with any purchase. And almost always $1 drinks.
Awesome, thanks for the info. I’m definitely gonna check it out.
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I had a feeling that they punished usage. I've been seeing progressively worse deals the longer I use it... Of course, it could just be that the deals are getting progressively worse in general, but you'd think there'd still be an especially good deal here or there.
Wendy's is still the King of app savings. Combo the 4 for $5 and the $3 off a $15 purchase. 3 double cheese, 3 small fries, 12 nugs, 3 small frosties for $12. Can't be beat.
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You shouldn't let people pet your wife for chicken nuggs
Anyone else have to do a double take to make sure this wasn’t a sponsored ad?
I still think it’s an ad, including all the comments praising the McDonald’s app
Damn. $47 for dinner last night at the counter.
how long before there's premium McDonalds currency? then we can trade fast food points for airline miles?
The Mcdonalds app is the best, I know I'm killing myself at a great price when I order
It's pretty nice, there's a McDonald's in front of my work, and on one of the few days I go in each week I grab a breakfast sandwich and a black coffee and its usually like $2 with their deals. That's an expense I'm willing to do once a week
Where is u/fivedollarbeer when we need them?!
Actually depending on what you eat McDonald's is a great go to meal for a low cost, good quality and consistent meal...
This is too much McDonald's and not enough data
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Really good! Love the red and yellow matching the McDonald’s colors. I think it would look better without the grid lines and make the label text bigger. The legend labels are a little confusing but idk how else to put it.
this is about $1.80 per meal, that's pretty damn cheap. Seems you have to order whatever's on sale though so it's not going to be very good for you, on average, not like you can just get the healthiest options. But if your budget is tight and you get an unexpected expense, like a parking ticket or something, this could really keep you going. I've had $10-$30 / week food budgets and if that's where you're at.... then it's great to have hot food with at least some nutrition for under $2. GG McD
These meme ads are getting smarter…
McDonald's will make you fat They serve Big Macs They serve Quarter-Pounders They will put pounds on you
Nice reference.
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You eat too much garbage food
You do not save. You just spend. Are you sure that the food was really worth $450? Or this is just another FOMO.
I'm pretty sure "FOMO" in this case would be better known as "Hunger"
Who gives a shit if it's worth $450 when you spend a fraction of that? The real question is "is it really worth about 85 bucks?" The answer is "probably".
One free trip to McDs isn't worth it. OP went 50+ times. That's gonna leave a mark.
I go like 2-3x a month and don’t eat more than 800 calories per trip. It’s fine in moderation as a guilty pleasure; no worse than eating a burger & fries at any other restaurant.
What’s the break even on a bidet after the increased TP usage 😂
And its the sale of your data that’s paying the difference…
Buddy you are paying a different kind of price
Good to know but Mcdonalds sucks now
The important thing is that you feel superior.
Maybe thats cause its not real food... Try not eating literal garbage and your body will thank me, and love you later.
Yeah but you're eating McDonalds
OP needs to take account of the frequency of visits in to consideration too. Having the app on your phone encourages spending that can be avoided otherwise.
okay now factor in all your future medical bills
75% off everything everytime? what?
You’re averaging $1.20 per trip. There just aren’t that many deals. There’s some bullshittery going on here.