McDonald's Revives Monopoly Game Promotion in U.S. on Oct. 6, 2025

When McDonald's Corporation issued a press release from Chicago on September 29, 2025, the fast‑food giant announced that the beloved Monopoly Game will be back on U.S. menus starting October 6, 2025. The rollout targets every resident of the 50 states and D.C. who is at least 18 years old, signed up for McDonald’s Rewards, and registers for the game via the McDonald’s app. Here’s the thing: the promotion blends the nostalgic peel‑and‑win experience with a brand‑new digital layer, giving players two chances to snag everything from free fries to a $1 million cash jackpot.

What the Promotion Looks Like on the Ground

Customers can hunt for physical game pieces on a lineup of classic items – the Big Mac, Filet‑O‑Fish, Egg McMuffin®, 10‑piece and 20‑piece Chicken McNuggets, Large Fries, and Hash Browns – each wrapped in a peel‑off sticker that reveals a property from the Monopoly board. Alongside the cardboard, the McDonald’s app will generate digital pieces when users order qualifying items through in‑store service or McDelivery. Every piece you collect scores a “Bonus Play,” essentially a second spin in the app’s draw.

According to the official game site, playatmcd.com, the promotion runs until an unspecified date, ending at 11:59:59 p.m. local time. The deadline to claim any prize you win, however, is set for November 23, 2025. That window gives players a little breathing room to hop onto the app, check their winnings, and decide whether to treat themselves to a free side or try their luck at the grand prize.

How It Works: From Peel to Play

1. Download the McDonald’s app and sign up for the Rewards program (if you aren’t already a member).
2. Order any of the qualifying menu items either at the counter, drive‑thru, or via McDelivery.
3. Peel the physical game piece from the packaging or tap the “Collect” button in the app for a digital piece.
4. Each piece adds a Bonus Play; continue collecting to increase your odds.
5. Redeem instant‑win tokens for free food, or hold out for the coveted dark‑blue properties (Park Place and Boardwalk) that trigger the $1 million cash prize.

The dual‑track design is meant to keep both nostalgic collectors and mobile‑first gamers engaged. As Chris Kempczinski, CEO of McDonald’s, put it, “two chances to win are always better than one.”

Historical Backdrop: From 1987 to Today

First launched in 1987, the Monopoly promotion has evolved through several aliases – Monopoly: Pick Your Prize! (2001), Monopoly Best Chance Game (2003‑2005), and the long‑running Money Monopoly (since 2016). The concept was licensed from Hasbro, Inc., the owner of the Monopoly board‑game IP, under the banner “MONOPOLY ©2025 Hasbro.” Historically, the top prize required collecting both dark‑blue properties, a feat that has handed out a $1 million payout only a handful of times.

Internationally, the game runs on staggered calendars. In the Republic of Ireland, pieces appear on select items from September 10 to October 21, 2025, with a claim deadline of November 4, 2025. Canada’s version, dubbed Monopoly Double Play, runs October 7‑November 10, 2025, with a final claim cutoff of December 1, 2025.

Critics and Controversy

The promotion isn’t without its detractors. Back in 2019, Tom Watson, Deputy Leader of the UK Labour Party, labeled the Monopoly campaign a “danger to public health,” arguing it pushes excessive ordering and upsizing. Health‑advocacy groups have echoed similar concerns, pointing to the way point‑based incentives can lead families to add extra sides or upgrade meals just to snag another game piece.

McDonald’s counters that the promotion is purely optional and that the Rewards program already offers a suite of discounts and freebies unrelated to Monopoly. The company says it’s committed to “fun, responsible marketing” and has built safeguards – such as age verification and a limit of 12 entries per day per app account – into the digital experience.

Economic Impact and What It Means for Consumers

From a business standpoint, the Monopoly Game is a proven sales driver. Past iterations have spiked foot traffic by double‑digit percentages and increased average ticket sizes as hungry patrons order extra items in hopes of finding a winning property. For consumers, the appeal lies in the mix of low‑effort instant wins and the tantalizing prospect of a life‑changing cash prize.

Analysts at MarketWatch predict that the 2025 U.S. rollout could generate an additional $150 million in incremental sales for McDonald’s, assuming a modest 5 % lift across its 14,000 U.S. locations. The dual‑channel approach – physical pieces plus digital – also positions the brand to capture more data on ordering habits, which could inform future menu innovations.

What’s Next? Upcoming Dates and How to Stay Informed

After the October 6 launch, McDonald’s will release weekly updates on which properties are hot and which prizes have been claimed. Subscribers to the McDonald’s app will receive push notifications reminding them to “peel and play” before the promotion closes. If you’re eyeing the $1 million prize, the odds improve dramatically the more (and larger) the items you order – a fact that the company’s marketing team has hinted at without explicitly encouraging over‑consumption.

Looking forward, the brand has hinted that a new “Digital Bonus Play” feature could roll out in early 2026, potentially adding an augmented‑reality element where users scan QR codes on packaging for animated prize reveals. Whether that becomes reality or not, the Monopoly Game’s return signals that classic, game‑based promotions still have a strong foothold in the fast‑food playbook.