McDonald’s is reintroducing Monopoly, but only certain menu items qualify. Photo by Jamie Kelter Davis/Bloomberg/Getty Images
Based on data from CNN
McDonald’s is bringing back Monopoly after a long decade-long hiatus to boost sales and once again draw attention to the iconic promotional campaign. The game used to be a genuine cultural phenomenon, and at times a subject of heated debate, and now it’s being reimagined thanks to modern technology.
The promotion is set to launch in the United States on October 6, but in a new format. The physical tabletop board with peel-off tokens isn’t returning. Instead, Monopoly goes digital via the McDonald’s mobile app for registered loyalty program members.
However, certain physical elements will still appear on selected menu items. For example, in a large box of French fries you can peel back a layer of packaging and scan it in the app to participate in the promotion. Digital tokens are also available in selected orders through the app. The full list of eligible items and the rules will be available in the app and in official company announcements.
By collecting all property pieces, customers will have the opportunity to exchange them for prizes – from free meals to bonus loyalty points. The most valuable prizes include 1 million American Airlines miles, a new Jeep Grand Cherokee, and even a cash prize of $1 million for one lucky winner.
Recently, McDonald’s sales have shown improvement after a difficult start to the year: for the quarter ended June 30, they rose by 2.5% and marked two consecutive quarters of declines. The company attributes the rebound to the Minecraft movie promotion, as well as the launch of crispy chicken tenders and the revival of the Extra Value Meals menu to support foot traffic.
The promotion, rooted in the Hasbro board game, first appeared in 1987. Monopoly by McDonald’s last appeared in the United States in 2014, and under the name “Money Monopoly” in 2016, but later spread more widely to several international markets.
Scandal and Its Aftermath
Monopoly on McDonald’s menu has long been at the center of controversy due to a scheme that began as far back as 1989.
In 2001, the FBI received an anonymous tip that several million-dollar winners could be connected to one another. The investigation led to the arrest of eight people for scheming to distribute “hot” fragments, which resulted in the leakage of more than $20 million.
The ringleader was a Georgia citizen named Jerome Jacobson, known as “Uncle Jerry,” who faced numerous charges of mail fraud. Jacobson held a security position at Simon Marketing – the company McDonald’s used to run promotional contests, including Monopoly.
According to media reports, Jacobson allegedly stole high-value game pieces and sold them to people who then redeemed them for prizes. Prosecutors alleged that he received substantial hryvnia and dollar rewards for each million-dollar fragment, and also recruited other participants into the criminal scheme.
A documentary about this scheme appeared on television in 2020, telling the story from different angles.
For McDonald’s, reviving the game could provide a powerful boost to sales growth and the expansion of the loyalty program – a key development focus under the leadership of Kris Kempczynski. In a recent financial report, the company noted that the number of visits by customers who joined the program had risen significantly thanks to the discounts offered and personalized offers.
“Approximately a quarter of our business in the United States comes from our loyalty program,”
McDonald’s does not disclose the exact number of American program participants, but has a global goal – to reach 250 million active loyalty users by the end of 2027. Currently they are about 185 million.
“If you are a McDonald’s loyalty program member, we offer exceptional value and access among these consumers.”
The new version of Monopoly draws attention to the brand and could strengthen McDonald’s position on the competitive fast-food market, combining gamification with loyalty and modern technologies.
