When McDonald's announced their new rewards scheme on their brand new MyMcDonald's app, many were flocking to the restaurant to earn points.
Every penny spent from July this year counts as a point to be redeemed for free food, reports Leicestershire Live. However, not everyone has read the small print of the points scheme.
Points mean free food and drink. Bag 1,500 points and you can grab a small fries or a coffee perhaps.
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Earn 2,500 points and you can take a double cheeseburger and more on the house, while 4,000 unlocks the main burgers on the menu like the Big Mac and the Quarter Pounder.
Points can also be converted into donations to charities like Ronald McDonald House, BBC Children in Need and FareShare. McDonalds says: "Now, every cheeky Cheeseburger, every double-dipped McNugget, and every mid-morning McMuffin is more rewarding.
"With MyMcDonald's Rewards you can turn your faves into points and your points into rewards. Earning points is simple - you'll earn one point for every penny you spend on your faves.
"Spent £5? Amazing, that's 500 points you've earned towards your next free reward.
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"You get points no matter how you choose to order with us - Drive-thru, the kiosk, or on our app with Pickup or McDelivery! Delicious."
However, there is a catch that not many people know about. Due to the terms and conditions of MyMcDonald's Rewards, each set of points you earns comes with a deadline to spend.
So stacking your points up only counts if you do spend them. Each month's points are tallied up by the app, and after 12 months if they have not been spent they expire and are lost for good.
The McDonald's terms and conditions state: "Each point is valid for 12 months from the end of the month in which such point was earned. Points will be maintained in your MyMcDonald’s Rewards account until you exchange your points for a reward, or until they expire, whichever occurs first.
"If McDonald’s terminates the Rewards Program, any unused points in your account will expire and be void when the Rewards Program is terminated."
So, if you have loads of points and not long to spend them, why not take a trip to the golden arches? or, you can sent them on to a good cause instead.
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