McDonald’s is everywhere, and whether you’re a huge fan or an occasional patron, there are lots of ways to hack the McDonald’s menu to save money. Spending less at McDonald’s is way bigger than just ordering from the McDonald’s dollar menu.
You can literally get a McDonald’s deal on every single order you make, while racking up rewards points for freebies and more McDonald’s coupons. We’ll show you how to get all the McDonald’s food deals and discounts.
But first, grab The Krazy Coupon Lady app and check out our McDonald’s coupons for the best money-saving tips and freebies.
Offers, prices, and local participation may vary.
Limited-Time McDonald's Deals and Offers September 2025
Score freebies with the McValue Menu.
McDonald's launched their new McValue Menu on Jan. 7, 2025. This new value menu includes in-app offers, local deals, and buy one get one for $1 deals on items such as the Sausage McMuffin, Sausage Burrito, Sausage Biscuit, Double Cheeseburger, 6-piece Chicken McNuggets, and the McChicken.
Save up to 59% with the $5 Meal Deal.
McDonald's $5 Meal Deal (includes a McChicken or McDouble, a 4-piece nuggets, a small fries, and a small drink) is still available and can save you 28% - 59% compared to regular menu prices. Although this $5 meal deal isn't expected to stick around forever, right now you can see where in the U.S. it offers the most and the least savings.
1. Get the McDonald’s app for freebies and special deals.
This is where you get a discount. Every. Single. Order.
The free McDonald’s app lets you place a pickup or delivery order, but most importantly, it gives you all the current McDonald’s coupons that can be scanned right from your phone.
Get a free Quarter Pounder with Cheese (reg $4.79) when you download the app and make any purchase of $1 or more. New offers and freebies are added regularly and are constantly changing and can vary by account; here are some menu specials we’ve seen in the deals section of the app:
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BOGO $0.99 10-piece Chicken McNuggets, Quarter Pounder with cheese, or Big Mac (reg. $4.59 - $5.19 each)
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BOGO $0.79 breakfast sandwich (reg $4.39)
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$7.50 two Double Cheeseburgers and two any size fries (reg. $2.99 - $3.99 each)
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25% off any order of $10 or more (valid one time per day)
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$1.99 any size fries (valid one time per day)
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$5 off any McDelivery order of $20 or more (valid three times per day)
KCL TIP : The only reason to sign up for the McDonald’s email newsletter is to avoid checking the app. You’ll get a new email when the app has new deals or coupons.
2. Give the cashier your four-digit MyMcDonald’s Rewards code BEFORE you order to earn points.
The MyMcDonald’s Rewards program (only available via their app) lets you earn points on your purchases, which you can use to get free menu items.
Before you place your order in person or drive-thru, make sure you tap “Earn Points” and give the cashier your four-digit code to get the credit.
If you place an order through the app, you’ll automatically get points for your purchase.
KCL TIP : If you forget to scan or give your code, you can contact McDonald’s with your order info. It’s cumbersome, but if you’re patient, they’ll do their best to add the points to your account.
3. Get free McDonald’s food with every $15 you spend.
There are four different tiers of freebies with MyMcDonald’s Rewards, and each one unlocks new menu items. Go to the McDonald’s Rewards tab in the app to pick your freebie, and either add it to your mobile order or pick “Use at Restaurant.”
At 1,500 points ($15 spent), you can choose from . . .
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McChicken (reg. $2.59)
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Cheeseburger (reg. $1.99)
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Hash browns (reg. $2.09)
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Vanilla cone (reg. $2.19)
At 3,000 points ($30 spent), you can choose from . . .
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Medium fries (reg. $3.29)
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Large iced coffee (reg. $2.99)
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6-piece McNugget (reg. $3.89)
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Sausage burrito (reg. $2.39)
At 4,500 points ($45 spent), you can choose from . . .
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Large frappe (reg. $4.99)
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Filet-O-Fish (reg. $4.69)
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Large fries (reg. $3.99)
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Sausage Egg McMuffin (reg. $4.39)
At 6,000 points ($60 spent), you can choose from . . .
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Happy Meal (reg. $4.59-$6.69)
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Big Mac (reg. $5.09)
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Quarter Pounder with Cheese (reg. $5.39)
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Bacon, Egg, and Cheese Biscuit (reg. $4.59)
4. Always use your points on the 1,500 point tier for the best cashback value.
You should always use your McDonald’s Rewards points on the 1,500 point tier if you want to maximize your savings since it’ll give you the most cashback in rewards. Here’s how much cashback each tier will give you in food freebies:
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1,500 Points: 13 - 17%
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3,000 Points: 8 - 13%
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4,500 Points: 9 - 11%
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6,000 Points: 8 - 11%
5. Get free McDonald’s fries every Friday on the app.
Free Fry Fridays at McDonald’s are our favorite. Every Friday, you get a deal on the app for an order of free medium McDonald’s fries when you spend at least $1 (cheapest item on the menu over $1 is a cookie at $1.19).
6. Get free food when you complete the McDonald’s survey on your receipt.
Your McDonald’s receipt will get you a McDonald’s coupon for a free item such as a Hamburger (reg $1.79) or Egg McMuffin (reg $4.39), or you could get an offer like a Buy 1 Get 1 Free on a Quarter Pounder with Cheese (reg $5.39).
Visit the McDonald’s Customer Satisfaction survey website and fill out the survey using the 26-digit survey code on your receipt. Once you complete the survey, you’ll receive a McDonald’s survey code you can redeem on your next visit.
7. Save $0.04 per ounce with the Mini McFlurry versus the regular size McFlurry.
Love a McDonald’s McFlurry , but not crazy about the price? Order a Mini McFlurry.
A regular McFlurry (12 ounces) is $3.69 ($0.31 per ounce), but the McDonald’s new Mini McFlurry (8 ounces) is only $2.19 ($0.27 per ounce).
If one Mini McFlurry isn't enough order two (for a total 16 ounces) for $4.38. That's only an extra $0.69 for four more ounces than the regular size.
8. Order a McDonald’s coffee instead of Starbucks to save up to 36%.
McDonald’s McCafe is considerably cheaper than ordering off the Starbucks menu, so if you’re looking for a cheaper alternative, McDonald’s is your best bet. Here are prices for some popular drinks (16 ounces) .
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Hot Coffee: McDonald’s costs $2.59; Starbucks costs $2.95 (12% savings)
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Iced Coffee: McDonald’s costs $3.19; Starbucks costs $4.95 (36% savings)
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Macchiato: McDonald’s costs $3.79; Starbucks costs $5.95 (36% savings)
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Mocha: McDonald’s costs $3.89; Starbucks costs $5.85 (34% savings)
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Latte: McDonald’s costs $3.49; Starbucks costs $4.95 (30% savings)
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Cappuccino: McDonald’s costs $3.49; Starbucks costs $4.95 (30% savings)
Of course, if you need your Starbucks fix, we have all the Starbucks menu hacks no barista will tell you.
9. Expect to pay $1.49 or more to get McDonald’s Delivery.
You can get McDonald’s Delivery — or McDelivery — via the McDonald’s website/app, DoorDash , Grubhub, Uber Eats, and Postmates. The minimum delivery fee was $1.49 for Uber Eats, the others were $2.99. That doesn’t include tip or individual service fees.
If you subscribe to the delivery services’ unlimited subscriptions, like Uber One, you can get free delivery from select restaurants, when you order select food items or place an order that meets a minimum dollar amount.
10. Order the 40-count Chicken McNuggets to save up to 55%.
Why? Because if you compare the cost per nugget, the 10-piece Chicken McNuggets is the clear winner in the lower nugget count category. However, if you’re ordering for a large number of people, McDonald’s 40-piece Chicken McNugget is the cheapest option overall.
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4-piece Chicken McNugget box $2.69, or $0.67 per nugget
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6-piece Chicken McNugget box $3.79, or $0.63 per nugget
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10-piece Chicken McNugget box $4.59, or $0.46 per nugget
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20-piece Chicken McNugget box $6.39, or $0.32 per nugget
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40-piece Chicken McNugget box $11.59, or $0.30 per nugget
11. McDonald’s senior discount is 10% at participating locations.
McDonald’s senior discount is available for customers ages 50 and older and can get you 10% off at participating McDonald’s locations. To see if your McDonald’s is offering this deal, be sure to call ahead to your local McDonald’s.
12. McDonald’s offers teachers and military personnel discounts throughout the year.
Depending on the time of year, McDonald’s will offer free food and discounts to educators and military personnel. We’ve seen offers for free breakfast for educators on Teacher Appreciation week and 10% discounts on Veterans Day .
13. The McDonald’s birthday reward is a free dessert through the McDonald’s app.
McDonald’s used to give out Happy Meals to kids on their birthday, but now, they’ll send you a McDonald’s coupon for a free McDonald’s apple pie (reg $1.79) or ice cream (reg $2.19) through the MyMcDonald’s Rewards app.
And if it’s birthday freebies you’re after, browse our list of places that’ll give you free food on your birthday .
14. You can purchase the Happy Meal toys by themselves for less than $2.
You can buy Happy Meal toys separately from the kids meals for under $2 each (depending on your location).
But the cheapest way to get the Happy Meal toys (according to the cashiers at my local McDonald’s) is to just buy the Happy Meal; then any additional toy only costs about $0.79.
15. Additional toppings on McDonald’s burgers will cost you $0.60 – $0.70.
If you want additional tomatoes, lettuce, or onions, you’ll pay around $0.60 – $0.70, depending on your location.
Of course, any sauces like ketchup or honey mustard are free. No charge.
16. Become a McDonald’s employee to get free meals and discounts on food.
As a McDonald’s employee, you can get health insurance, dental coverage, a 401k plan, tuition assistance, family medical leave, maternity and paternity leave.
Team members also get free meals (during shift) and discounts (off shift) at McDonald’s restaurants.
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