By Yuvraj Tyagi
Copyright timesnownews
McDonald’s is reviving its iconic Monopoly promotion in the United States this autumn, a decade after it last appeared. The game officially launches on 6 October 2025 and will run for a limited time, the company confirmed. First introduced in 1987, the Monopoly game became one of McDonald’s most popular promotions, but it was last widely available in the US in 2014. This year’s version comes with a major update: the board and paper tracking sheets are gone, replaced by a digital experience inside the McDonald’s app. How the New Version Works To participate, customers must be registered members of McDonald’s loyalty programme. Physical game pieces will still appear on select menu items — such as large fries — and can be peeled and then scanned into the app. In addition, digital game pieces are awarded on certain mobile app orders. Collecting full property sets allows players to win prizes. According to McDonald’s, the rewards range from free food and bonus loyalty points to high-value prizes including: $1 million cash prize (one winner)1 million American Airlines milesA Jeep Grand Cherokee A full list of eligible food items and official rules is available in the app. Why McDonald’s Is Bringing It Back The promotion is part of the company’s broader push to revitalise sales and boost its loyalty programme, which has become a cornerstone of CEO Chris Kempczinski’s growth strategy. In the most recent earnings call, Kempczinski revealed that loyalty members visit more than twice as often as non-members, and account for roughly a quarter of US business. Globally, McDonald’s aims to reach 250 million loyalty members by 2027, up from 185 million today. McDonald’s US sales grew 2.5% in the second quarter of 2025, following two quarters of decline, helped by promotions tied to The Minecraft Movie and new crispy chicken strips. The return of Monopoly is expected to build further momentum. A Scandal in Its Past Monopoly’s history at McDonald’s is not without controversy. In 2001, an FBI investigation exposed a scam involving stolen high-value game pieces, orchestrated by Jerome “Uncle Jerry” Jacobson, a former security employee. The scheme defrauded the company of more than $20 million before arrests were made. Despite that dark chapter, the promotion remains a nostalgic favourite. By combining physical peel-and-win pieces with a digital platform, McDonald’s hopes to capture both the excitement of the original game and the convenience of modern app play.
