We love how loyalty reward programs at stores and restaurants allow us to rack up points we can spend on the things we love. However, it’s always important to be aware of the fine print and any changes that are made to perks. (Take Sephora, for example, who recently caused controversy by making a change to their beloved birthday rewards.) Ensuring you know the ins and outs of any reward program you use is a crucial part of getting the most out of it. As it turns out, some McDonald’s customers were unaware that their points have an expiration date.
Use your McDonald's loyalty points before they expire
If you're not already a McDonald's loyalty rewards member, we'd first suggest hopping on board. This program allows you to earn points with every penny and redeem them for rewards that cost as low as 1,500 points (including small fries, a drink, and a McFlurry—perhaps even the new flavor?).
However, it's very important to note that your points won't last forever, so redeeming them in a timely manner is vital if you want to reap the rewards of your loyalty.
As the Mirror reported, not everyone is aware of this stipulation, with one woman taking to Facebook to warn others: "Never really took note of the McDonald’s reward points until I had a notification to say they were expiring. Well worth it, [you] can only add five items per order so went around twice. Had to pay for the milkshake, smoothie and one meal, didn't think a third time through drive-thru was appropriate but all this for less than £13," she wrote.
Others panicked in the comments: "I didn't know they expire! I have 42,350 when did it say yours would expire?" one wrote, with another chiming in to say: "I didn't know they expire either until I got a notification and email yesterday to say some of mine would expire on September 1! I'll be making sure I use them up."
ALL of @McDonalds rewards points are gone and I am MAD AF!!!!
— elle_renee (@ellehardin) August 15, 2023
Unfortunately, some people missed the memo. One Twitter user expressed anger after realizing her points had expired: "ALL of @McDonalds rewards points are gone and I am MAD AF!!!!" she wrote. Yikes!
The best way to figure out when your own points will expire is to go straight to the McDonald's app. In the "history" section of the "Rewards and Offers" tab, you'll be able to see how much longer you have before you lose your points for good.
According to McDonald's, points are only good for around a year. To be more specific, they'll expire on the last day of the 12th month after they were earned. That does give you a decent amount of time to use them, but be careful not to forget (or to miss the warning you'll get in your inbox)! Otherwise, you'll be out if luck. But, hey, would it really be the worst thing to miss out on an order of unhealthy fries, anyway? Okay, yeah, it would.
READ MORE: The Real Reason Why McDonald’s Tea Is So Sweet, According To An Employee On TikTok
