Tina Russell/The Penny Hoarder
You’ve mastered the art of drive-thru ordering. You’ve figured out the touch screens at the register. But are you ready for mobile ordering at McDonald’s?
The future is now! (Almost.)
America’s largest burger chain will roll out mobile ordering and payment in all its U.S. stores by the end of the year — that’s more than 14,000 locations where you can avoid human contact as much as possible.
“Customers will be able to place orders directly on the mobile app for pickup or have a kiosk recognize their app profile, which holds customized favorites and preferred payment methods,” the company said in a March 2017 statement. “The result is a more stress-free, personalized experience, enhanced by technology and world-class hospitality that puts customers in control.”
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McDonald’s isn’t the first fast-food joint to roll out mobile ordering. Taco Bell and Chick-fil-A already offer it, and Wendy’s seems ready to roll out its own system to half its stores this year, according to CNBC. At some Starbucks locations, mobile orders make up more than 20% of total sales.
But there’s a sneaky piece to this mobile ordering puzzle, and it’s how much you spend — surprise, surprise. A 2016 Deloitte survey found that people who place mobile fast-food orders visit 6% more frequently and spend 20% more per visit.
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When you log into your bank account, how do your savings look? Probably not as good as you’d like.
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“Visits tend to increase because technology makes it easier to repeat an order automatically, while repeat orders of custom or upgraded drinks lead to increased sales,” the Chicago Tribune explained.
Still, the app could improve the ordering process for customers. McDonald’s has increased its efforts to improve order accuracy over the past few years by confirming drive-thru orders several times before the customer drives away with their nuggets. The latest mobile ordering push further increases the odds of accuracy by cutting out any verbal confusion during the ordering process.
Your Turn: Are you excited for McDonald’s mobile ordering? Do you use this feature at any other fast-food chains?
Lisa Rowan is a writer and producer at The Penny Hoarder.
5 Companies That Send People Money When They’re Asked Nicely
When you log into your bank account, how do your savings look? Probably not as good as you’d like. It always seems like an uphill battle to build (and keep) a decent amount in savings.
But what if your car breaks down, or you have a sudden medical bill?
Ask one of these companies to help….
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Privacy Policy
FAQs
Consumers who opt to download the McDonald's app, which is powered by Mowingo, will have access to a slew of features designed to augment their dining experience, including the ability to browse the menu, view a nutritional calculator and redeem mobile coupons.
What's the deal with the McDonald's app? ›
Download the app and get 'em with your first purchase of $1+.* Every $1 you spend earns 100 points, redeemable for free food. *Offer valid 1x thru the last day of month for first time app users at participating McDonald's. May take up to 48 hours to appear in your deals. Must opt in to Rewards.
Why do fast food companies want you to use the app? ›
Fast food apps offer customers a streamlined experience, options to customize an order, and access to digital-only deals and giveaways, says The Takeout.
What info does McDonald's app collect? ›
On the McDonald's website, it states that the company may "process and share information [gathered from the MyMcDonald's Rewards program] for targeted advertising... but we do not assign an independent monetary value to the personal information we collect in connection with the program." All monetized data, such as ...
Do you have to have the McDonald's app to get free fries? ›
Get free medium Fries on any $1+ purchase, only in the app.
Why delete McDonald's app? ›
Unfortunately, the latest terms and conditions for using the McDonald's app contain many customer-affecting changes: updates to McDonald's liability in cases of injury, third-party errors, and app malfunction; waivers for a customer's right to a jury trial or class action lawsuit; and an agreement to solve disputes ...
What are the new terms of the McDonald's app? ›
Updates to McDonald's liability in cases of injury, third-party errors and in-app malfunctions, waivers for a customer's right to a jury trial or class action lawsuit and an agreement to solve disputes through a strict arbitration process have all been included in the new terms.
Do people get different deals on McDonald's app? ›
McDonald's said the price differences were due to the app's "personalised deals". "Due to the personalisation of our app, not all customers will see the same deals, and as an example, a deal may be offered to encourage the use of the app on the customer's next visit.
Do fast food apps track you? ›
If granted location access, chains can also track customers' every move, and see how often they dine at a competitor. By default, all fast-food apps request location access via GPS and mobile networks for the best user experience upon installation.
Why encourage customers to use their apps for ordering? ›
Appeals to thrifty customers: Consumers like convenience and saving money. Mobile ordering apps provide numerous opportunities to offer coupons, promotions or rewards to customers. These options also encourage repeat business. Encourages bigger orders: Customers tend to order more via mobile apps.
Restaurant Markups
Ever noticed that your $10 salad from the restaurant costs $12 on the app? Many restaurants bump up their prices on these platforms to cover the commissions they need to pay back to the app. Yes, that means you're essentially helping the restaurant break even.
Why is the McDonald's logo upside down in 2024? ›
The campaign pays homage to a decades-long tradition of including a restaurant called “WcDonald's” in manga and anime.
Can someone else pickup a McDonald's mobile order? ›
Pick up the order: The person you designated can go to the McDonald's restaurant and inform the staff that they are picking up an order placed through the Mobile Ordering app. They may need to provide the order details and confirmation information to the staff for verification purposes [1].
Can you order on the McDonald's app and sit in? ›
Once you have paid our app will show you your order number to watch out for on the screen. If you've chosen Table Service we'll confirm the table number you told us you are sitting at.
Does using the McDonald's app save you money? ›
Yes, there is access to deals that are only available on the app.... Such as a fry or coffee for a dollar (almost every day in my region) and other deals such as BOGO breakfast sandwiches, nuggets, and sandwiches (which vary from time to time and day to day). Also, you get points that can be redeemed for free food.
Does the McDonald's app cost money? ›
If you're craving a quick meal, McDonald's has you covered. The fast food eatery has a free mobile app full of money-saving deals. With offers like a $1 breakfast sandwich and 20% off any purchase of $5 or more, you can get your fast food fix without breaking your budget.
Do fast food apps sell data? ›
Restaurant apps track you constantly, even when not in use
If you use restaurant apps, even if you use them every so often, it's easy to forget that they are still apps. These programs and applications are designed to collect and share your data and market information to different businesses.
How many people have downloaded the McDonald's app? ›
In 2022, the McDonald's app was the most downloaded food app in the world. That's according to the fast food industry journal QSR Magazine, which says the McDonald's app was downloaded by more than 127 million people worldwide last year.
