A person wears a protective mask outside McDonald’s in Union Square during the coronavirus pandemic on April 30, 2020 in New York City.
Noam Galai | Getty Images
McDonald’s said on Wednesday that it entered the next phase of testing a US loyalty program before it was launched nationwide later this year.
The fast-food giant has successful reward programs in other countries, such as France, but this is the closest it has come to bringing one to its home market. In November, the company began testing in Arizona and Nevada. He added restaurants in New England to the test several weeks ago. On Wednesday, about 900 locations outside of McDonald’s 14,000 US restaurants are part of the test.
Starbucks and Chipotle Mexican Grill are among the restaurant chains that have used reward programs to increase their loyal customer base and encourage more frequent visits. Customer data from these programs can also help the company personalize promotions for members and get consumers to stop at restaurants during off-peak hours.
Alex Menendez, a Miami-based franchisee, is a member of the operator committee that oversees the testing of the loyalty program.
“It is no secret that we are late in the game of loyalty, but I think that, on the operator’s side, we have wanted to reward our loyal customers for years,” said Menendez.
MyMcDonald’s Rewards members earn 100 points for every dollar they spend and have the opportunity to earn even more points with targeted promotions, such as double points for visiting on a Monday. The program is divided into four levels – 1,500, 3,000, 4,500 and 6,000 points – for different redemption opportunities in 16 menu items.
Members can use cash and mobile ordering and pay to buy food and earn rewards. When the program is launched across the country, customers will also be able to pay by credit or debit card.
Alycia Mason, McDonald’s vice president of digital, media and customer relationship management, said the loyalty program changes the customer experience in several ways. McDonald’s employees greet members of the loyalty program by name as they move via the drive-thru route, and customers will receive a personalized email after collecting their orders, including the next personalized deals for them.
“It was more special and different than my normal McDonald’s experience that way,” said Mason, who tried the program during a recent trip to Arizona.
But the rewards aren’t just reserved for McDonald’s customers. Your employees will also have the opportunity to score points with training related to the loyalty program. Menendez said that employee training on digital initiatives was not prioritized in the past, so franchisees looked for a way to involve their employees with it.
The loyalty program is a part of the company’s new “MyMcDonald’s” platform, which brings together its various investments in technology, such as its application and digital menu boards, and makes it easier for customers to order and pay for their food. Like many other restaurant chains, the coronavirus pandemic led to an increase in McDonald’s digital orders, further accelerating the trend that existed before the crisis.
McDonald’s shares have dropped 2% in the past 12 months, with a market value of $ 161 billion. Although its restaurants in the United States recovered from the pandemic relatively quickly, European blockages hit fourth-quarter sales.