Slash Your McDonald’s Bill with These 24 Smart Hacks
McDonald’s isn’t just one of the most popular fast-food restaurants in the country; it’s arguably the most famous restaurant in the world.
The chain was once a go-to spot for cheap and delicious meals with its old tagline of “feed a family of four for $20. With current skyrocketing prices, many customers have been choosing to skip out on their beloved restaurants in favor of their wallets.
Fortunately, several hacks can help you satisfy your cravings and save money on your next McDonald’s order.
Use the McDonald’s App
If you’re looking for a quick and easy way to save on your next order, you’ll want to download the McDonald’s app and register for a MyMcDonald’s Reward account. When you order using the app, you’ll gain access to all of the coupons and current deals available at the food chain.
You can also use the app to collect and redeem points for free meals and menu items.
Don’t Toss Out Your Receipt
When you receive a receipt for your McDonald’s order, don’t be quick to throw it away. Almost every receipt will have a survey code you can enter into the website to fill out a quick survey and receive special discounts or free items.
Offers vary from location to location, but it’s worth filling out the survey for a food freebie.
Give Your Rewards Code Before Ordering
Always give the cashier your MyMcDonald’s Rewards code before ordering your meal. This way, when you order in person or at the drive-thru, you’ll still earn points on your order. Make sure to select “Earn Points” on your app before making the order so that you get your earnings worth.
You earn 100 points for every dollar spent on eligible menu items, so if you’re diligent, you can quickly accumulate the 1,500-point minimum to start earning free food.
Claim Your Free Birthday Reward
McDonald’s used to give kids free Happy Meals on their birthdays. Now, everyone with a MyMcDonad’s Rewards account can celebrate their birthday with a gift.
The food chain will send you a coupon for a free McDonald’s ice cream or apple pie through the app. This is another perk that makes downloading the app worth it!
Ask For No Ice With Your Drink
Have you ever gotten your ice-cold drink from McDonald’s, only to realize they filled half the cup with ice? While having a cold, refreshing drink is nice, you’re missing out on a lot of liquid when most of your cup is full of ice.
The next time you order a drink from the fast-food chain, ask for no ice to ensure you get the most out of your money. It used not to be a problem if you were dining in, but the fast food chain is slowly phasing out all of its self-serve beverage bars and, therefore, getting rid of free refills.
Get Free Fries on Fridays
What better way to celebrate the end of a long week than with an order of free fries from your favorite food chain? McDonald’s offers customers free medium fries every Friday with a minimum purchase of $1 through the app.
To get your free fries, you need to place an order using the McDonald’s app.
Order the Cheaper McFlurry Alternative
McFlurry’s are a tasty treat, but there’s a cheaper way to enjoy the classic McDonald’s dessert. The next time you crave something sweet, order a sundae and ask for McFlurry toppings on the side.
You’ll get a cup of Oreos or M&M’s on the side for a small fee, and the overall cost should be cheaper than a regular McFlurry.
Take Advantage of the $1 $2 $3 Menu
Don’t miss out on Mcdonalds’ iconic $1 $2 $3 menu. You can get so many delicious items for only $1 to $3. These tasty meals and snacks include the sausage burrito, hashbrowns, and an order of Chicken McNuggets.
Although the menu doesn’t offer value deals, knowing which items are cheaper is helpful.
The More Chicken McNuggets You Order, the Better
Chicken McNuggets are one of the most popular items on the menu, and we’re not surprised. These delicious chicken bites come in various portion sizes, including 4, 6, 10, 20, or 40. It turns out that the more you order, the better deal you get per nugget.
So, if you’re feeling super hungry or are in the mood to share, it’s best to go for bigger portions.
Jazz up Your Burger for Free
While you can’t get more meat on your burger for free, you can still spice it up with more garnishes. Garnishes like mayonnaise, ketchup, mustard, pickles, and onion are typically free of charge.
If you want to elevate your burger, add tomatoes or lettuce to your order for a small charge.
Seniors Can Get Discounts
Growing up, my grandparents loved to stop by McDonald’s to take advantage of their discounted coffee for seniors. While McDonald’s no longer offers a company-wide senior discount, the food chain offers money-saving deals for its older customers. One discount is for small-sized drinks for those 55 years and older.
This deal varies by location, so check with your cashier before ordering.
Make Your Own Big Mac
The Big Mac is one of McDonald’s staple menu items, and while it’s delicious, it’s also not the cheapest item on the menu. Fortunately, you can get the “Poor Man’s Big Mac” for less.
To order this DIY burger, ask for a McDouble dressed like a Big Mac by adding shredded lettuce and special sauce without the ketchup and mustard. The “Poor Man’s Big Mac” comes without the middle bun, so it should save you some money. This hack doesn’t work at every location, but it’s worth a shot.
Order From the Breakfast Menu
Head to McDonald’s for a cheap and tasty breakfast. Like the regular menu, the McDonald’s breakfast menu also offers a $1 $2 $3 menu where you can save on certain items.
Some menu items priced at $1 to $3 include the sausage biscuit, sausage McMuffin, sausage burrito, and hashbrowns.
Teachers and Military Personnel Get Discounts, Too
McDonald’s may offer discounts to teachers and military personnel, depending on the time of year and location. The food chain has offered teachers deals during Teacher Appreciation Week, but this varies from location to location.
The same applies to military personnel, so don’t forget to check your local McDonald’s on Veterans Day to see if they’re offering any special deals.
Add Eggs to Your Breakfast Sandwich
This hack could save you some cash if you prefer your McMuffins with eggs. While this money-saving hack doesn’t always work, it’s worth a try. The next time you order breakfast, ask for a plain breakfast biscuit with an egg on the side.
Not every McDonald’s sells eggs on the side, and if they do, they may still charge you the original full price. Some customers have found success with this hack.
Select the 1,500 Points Tier When Using Points
When using your MyMcDonald’s Rewards points, choose the 1,500-point tier to get the most value for your money. According to avid couponers, you’ll get the most cashback in rewards when you use the 1,500 points tier instead of the other three.
This leads to more savings and freebies, which is never bad.
Get the McNuggets Bundle on the $1 $2 $3 Menu
If you’re searching for the best-priced item on the $1 $2 $3 menu, the McNuggets are your best choice. Despite not having value deals like the original dollar menu, you can still get a $3 bundle cheaper than buying items separately.
You can order the 6-piece Chicken McNuggets and Small Fries bundle for cheaper than ordering them separately — just make sure to check with your McDonald’s, as the deal depends on your location.
Sign up to McDonald’s Email List
Did you know that McDonald’s has an email list that customers can subscribe to? When you sign up for the email list, you’ll be the first to get notified about their latest deals, discounts, MyMcDonald’s Rewards, news, and more.
Knowing about the promotions and discounts available to help save you money is always handy.
Avoid Buying Happy Meal Toys Separately
Although you can buy Happy Meal toys separately from the menu, it’s better to just buy the Happy Meal. Then, if you want to buy an additional toy, it should be cheaper than purchasing it separately.
This hack will depend on your location. Ask your cashier how much an additional toy costs before buying the Happy Meal.
Employees Get Discounts
Plenty of perks come with becoming an employee at McDonald’s. The food chain offers employees various benefits that make working there worthwhile. Some of these benefits include paid time off, a 401k plan, performance awards and bonuses, free meals during shifts, and a 30% nationwide discount.
It’s a great place to work if you want a discount on your favorite meals and extra bonuses.
Make Your Own Soda Float
Sometimes, making your own food and dessert staples is cheaper than going out and buying the real thing. This secret menu hack is excellent for satisfying your sweet tooth. First, buy a soda like Coca-Cola, Pepsi, or Orange soda. Then, pair it with a vanilla soft-serve cup.
Combine your soda and ice cream to create a delicious float similar to the classic Root Beer Float.
Create a Fancy Iced Coffee
Iced coffee from McDonald’s is undoubtedly cheaper than from other chain restaurants like Starbucks, but what if you want an upgraded drink? Order a shot of espresso and a vanilla milkshake on the side to create a fancy iced coffee.
Then, add your espresso to the milkshake and mix it well to create a delectable iced coffee.
Order for Pick up or on Location
It’s no secret that ordering food from delivery apps like Uber Eats, DoorDash, and Grubhub is more expensive. With delivery and other additional fees, ordering your McDonald’s through the app for pick up or when you’re at the location is always cheaper.
You can also order delivery from McDonald’s through the app, but ultimately, you’ll save more money by picking up your food.
Prices Are the Same In-Store as They Are on the App
Sometimes, ordering in the store is cheaper than ordering online, but fortunately, everything on the McDonald’s app costs the same as going into the store to order.
When you skip getting your food delivered, you’ll pay the same amount ordering McDonald’s through the app as you would in the drive-thru or store, plus you’ll get to use your points!
