A person wears a protective mask in front of McDonald’s in Union Square during the coronavirus pandemic on April 30, 2020 in New York City.
Noam Galai | Getty Images
McDonald’s said Wednesday it has entered its final testing phase of a U.S. loyalty program before launching nationwide later this year.
The fast food giant has successful rewards programs in other countries, such as France, but is the closest to bringing one to the domestic market. In November, the company began testing in Arizona and Nevada. He added New England restaurants to the test several weeks ago. As of Wednesday, approximately 900 locations at McDonald’s 14,000 U.S. restaurants are part of the test.
Starbucks and Chipotle Mexican Grill are among the restaurant chains that have used reward programs to grow their loyal customer base and encourage more frequent visits. Customer data from these programs can also help the company customize promotions for members and push consumers to stop by restaurants during less busy hours.
Alex Menendez, a Miami-based franchisee, is a member of the operators committee that oversees the loyalty program test.
“It’s no secret that we arrive late to loyalty, but I think from the operator we want to reward our loyal customers for years,” Menendez said.
MyMcDonald’s Rewards members earn 100 points for every dollar they spend and have a chance to earn even more points with specific 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 exchange opportunities in 16 menu items.
Members can use cash and mobile orders and pay to buy their food and get rewards. When the program is launched nationwide, customers will also be able to pay by credit or debit cards.
Alycia Mason, vice president of digital relationship management, media and customer relations at McDonald’s, said the loyalty program changes the customer experience in several ways. McDonald’s employees will greet loyalty members by name as they walk down the driveway and customers will receive a personalized email after picking up their orders that includes upcoming offers tailored to them.
“I found it more special and different than my normal McDonald’s experience that way,” said Mason, who tried out the show during a recent trip to Arizona.
But rewards aren’t just for McDonald’s customers. Your employees will also have the opportunity to earn points through training related to the loyalty program. Menendez said that in the past, employee training was not prioritized over digital initiatives, so franchisees were looking for a way to engage their workers with it.
The loyalty program is part of the company’s new “MyMcDonald” platform, which combines its various technological investments, such as its applications 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 has led to an increase in McDonald’s digital orders, which has further accelerated the pre-crisis trend.
Shares of McDonald’s have fallen 2% in the last twelve months, giving it a market value of $ 161 billion. Although its American restaurants have recovered from the pandemic relatively quickly, European blockades reached fourth-quarter sales.