McDonald's App and MyMcDonald's Rewards: How Ordering and Points Work

Short answer

The McDonald's app does three separate jobs. Keeping them apart makes the rules easier to follow:

• Ordering. You build an order for one specific restaurant, pay in the app, and collect it at a pickup point that restaurant offers. Some restaurants also offer delivery through the app.
• Deals. The Deals section lists offers available to your account at the restaurant you selected. They are not the same everywhere.
• Rewards. MyMcDonald's Rewards gives you points on eligible purchases. You can then exchange those points for items listed in the rewards catalog.

All three depend on the restaurant you select. The deals, reward items and prices on your screen apply to that one location. They are not a national menu.

How a mobile order works

Here is the general order flow. Screen labels can change between app versions.

1. Create or sign in to an accountRewards and most app deals are tied to a signed-in account. You can browse a menu without one, but personal offers need it.
2. Choose a restaurantPick a location before you rely on any price or deal. The menu, prices and offers shown belong to that restaurant. The official restaurant locator lists locations and their services.
3. Build the orderAdd items, sizes and meal options. A meal adds a side and a drink to the entrée. See our combo meal guide for how meal prices compare with buying items separately.
4. Apply a deal or reward, if you have oneOpen the Deals section and add an offer to the order before checkout. Many offers have their own rules, such as one use per order or a minimum purchase.
5. Pay and choose how to collectPick one of the pickup options your restaurant supports. Then check in when you arrive, so the order is prepared close to pickup time.

Pickup options

Each restaurant decides which collection methods it offers. The common ones are:

• In-store counter pickup.
• Drive-thru. You give your order number or check in from the app at the speaker.
• Curbside. Staff bring the order to a designated parking spot.
• Table service. This is available only where a restaurant offers it.

If an option is missing in the app, that location does not currently offer it.

The Deals section

App deals are offers shown to your account. They may differ from the offers a friend sees, even at the same restaurant.

• Many deals are limited to participating restaurants.
• Many have a time window or end date.
• Some apply only to mobile orders. Others can be redeemed by showing a code at the counter or drive-thru.

Our deals hub lists an offer as current only after we have verified it. Our breakfast deals page covers observed breakfast bundles and per-sandwich math. App-only breakfast offers appear there only when confirmed. Breakfast deals also depend on when breakfast is served, so check the breakfast hours guide before planning an early-morning redemption.

How MyMcDonald's Rewards points work

Earning

Points are earned on eligible purchases linked to your account. There are two common ways to link a purchase:

• Pay for a mobile order in the app.
• Scan or enter your app code when ordering at the counter, kiosk or drive-thru.

The official terms define which purchases are eligible. They also set how many points each dollar earns and whether tax, tips, delivery fees and redeemed rewards count toward earning. Check those definitions rather than assuming every dollar earns points.

Redeeming

Rewards are grouped into point levels. Each level unlocks a set of menu items. You choose a reward, add it to a mobile order or show its code in the restaurant, and the points are deducted. Which items sit at which level can change. A restaurant can also lack a reward item if it does not carry that product.

Points or a deal?

The program terms say whether a reward and a deal can be used in the same order, and whether points are earned on a discounted purchase. Read those rules before planning a combined order.

Conditions, participation and exclusions

These limits commonly apply to app ordering and rewards. The official terms list the exact rules.

• Participating restaurants

  Most U.S. McDonald's restaurants are independently owned and operated franchises. Rewards and deals apply at participating locations, so availability can differ from one restaurant to the next.

• Expiry

  Points and individual deals can expire. Expiry dates for deals are usually shown on the offer. Point expiry is set in the program terms.

• Exclusions

  Some purchases may not earn points, and some items or order types may be excluded from deals. Third-party delivery apps run their own pricing and promotions.

• Changes

  McDonald's can change the program, the reward catalog and the offers. Something that worked last month is not a guarantee for today.

What this site can and cannot tell you

Mac Menu Prices is an independent reference. It is not part of McDonald's.

• We cannot see your account's offers or point balance.
• We cannot predict which deals your restaurant will show.
• We cannot promise any reward or saving.

The prices across this site are averages of DoorDash delivery-menu listings at sampled U.S. locations, observed Aug 19–Sep 29, 2026. They are not app pickup prices. Our guide to delivery versus in-store prices explains why the two can differ and how to check your local price.

The receipt survey is a separate program from app rewards. Our independent McDVoice survey guide explains how it works and links the official survey destination.