Imagine an unending stream of McNuggets just for you. A limitless supply of Shamrock Shakes. An endless stash of Big Macs, Quarter Pounders and Egg McMuffins.
What’s that? Free McDonald’s forever, you ask? Count us in. Our cholesterol levels will manage, we promise!
The fast-food chain recently revealed it’s putting its legendary McGold Card up as the top prize in its newest promotion, which means you could score complimentary Mickey D’s for the remainder of your life. December will also feature plenty of meal bargains like BOGO Big Macs.
Starting Monday, Dec. 5, every purchase placed through the McDonald’s app enters you into a raffle. After the holidays, three randomly chosen winners will each receive a McGold Card. Each winner will also be given three additional cards to distribute to friends or relatives.
Technically, “free McDonald’s for life” translates to two free meals a week for 50 years. Still, that amounts to a serious number of Happy Meals. We’re talking roughly 5,200 visits to the Golden Arches.
The McGold Card seems to be something of a myth among devotees of Ronald McDonald. A card that grants lifetime McDonald’s? Wild. Allegedly, big names like Bill Gates and Warren Buffett each own one of these cards.
“Our fans have been intrigued by the myth of the McGold Card and whether it truly exists,” said Tariq Hassan, McDonald’s chief marketing and customer experience officer.
(Alright, let’s go with that for now.)
“Now we’ll turn this McDonald’s tale into reality for our fans by gifting them the ultimate holiday surprise — a chance to win a card and then share its benefits with three family members or friends,” Hassan added.
Deals on Meals and Limited-Edition Gear
This promotion revolves around the McDonald’s app, which lets you order ahead and pay digitally. It also unlocks app-only offers and a rewards program.
Beyond the McGold Card sweepstakes, McDonald’s is encouraging app usage throughout December with three weeks of promotional food offers and exclusive merchandise.
The offers: They change daily and include buy one, get one free Big Macs; free six-piece nuggets with a $1 purchase; and a 50-cent double cheeseburger. See the full schedule of offers here.
The merchandise: Items include a Chicken McNuggets Christmas stocking, an Egg McMuffin hoodie and a Hamburglar T-shirt. McDonald’s says these will drop in “two exclusive merch releases on Dec. 7 and 14” for customers who make a $1 purchase.
Naturally, the headline prize in this online Big Mac blitz is the McGold Card, which we like to think of as the ultimate Happy Meal. It entitles the holder to free McDonald’s twice a week for 50 years — assuming you live that long while eating McDonald’s twice weekly.
Supersize me, indeed.
Jordan Mercer is a senior writer at Savinly.
