During the 2020 holiday season, McDonald's launched a promotional campaign offering daily free food items to customers using their mobile application. The initiative, titled "Daily Holiday Deals," ran from December 14 through December 24, 2020. This promotion was designed to celebrate the festive period by featuring iconic holiday characters paired with specific menu items.
According to news reports citing a company press release, the campaign was framed as a way to provide "extra cheer" following the events of that year. The promotion required customers to use the McDonald's mobile app to access the offers. With the exception of the final day, all free items were contingent on a minimum purchase requirement.
Promotion Details and Requirements
The structure of the 2020 McDonald's holiday promotion relied on specific user actions within the mobile application. To participate, consumers were required to download the McDonald's app and navigate to the "deals" section. The offers were activated through the mobile order and pay system.
Key eligibility and redemption rules identified in the source material include:
- Application Requirement: Access to the free items was exclusive to the McDonald's mobile app.
- Purchase Threshold: For 10 of the 11 days, a minimum purchase of $1 was required to redeem the free item.
- Participation Scope: The deals were valid at participating McDonald's locations nationwide.
- Frequency: Each deal was valid one time per day per customer.
- Redemption Process: Users clicked the red header labeled "Free Daily Holiday Deals" on the app homepage. After placing an order for at least $1, the free item could be picked up at the restaurant.
It is noted that on December 24, the final day of the promotion, the free chocolate chip cookies did not require the $1 minimum purchase.
Daily Offer Schedule
The promotion featured a different menu item each day, attributed to a specific holiday character or theme. The following schedule details the specific offers available during the 11-day event:
- December 14: The Griswolds (from National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation) – Free Double Cheeseburger.
- December 15: The Abominable Snowmonster (from Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer) – Free Big Mac.
- December 16: The Grinch (from How the Grinch Stole Christmas) – Free Egg McMuffin.
- December 17: John McClane (from Die Hard) – Free McDouble.
- December 18: Rudolph (from Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer) – Free Medium Fry.
- December 19: Gizmo (from Gremlins) – Free 6-piece McNuggets.
- December 20: Buddy the Elf (from Elf) – Free Hotcakes.
- December 21: Scrooge (from A Christmas Carol) – Free Any Size Hot or Iced Coffee.
- December 22: Frosty the Snowman (from Frosty the Snowman) – Free Any Size McFlurry.
- December 23: Frank Costanza (from Seinfeld) – Free Bakery Item (Apple Fritter, Cinnamon Roll, or Blueberry Muffin).
- December 24: Santa Claus – Free 2-pack or 3-pack of Chocolate Chip Cookies.
Context and Related Promotions
The holiday freebies campaign coincided with other seasonal activities at McDonald's. During the same period, the chain had recently reintroduced the McRib sandwich and brought back peppermint mocha and peppermint hot chocolate beverages nationwide. Additionally, reports indicated that the elusive Holiday Pies were spotted at select locations.
The 2020 promotion was distinct from other holiday offers reported in later years, such as 2023, which featured different incentives like BOGO Big Macs, free 6-piece Chicken McNuggets with purchase, and a chance to win a McGold Card granting free food for life. Therefore, the specific character themes and menu items detailed above are specific to the 2020 event.
Conclusion
The McDonald's 2020 "Daily Holiday Deals" promotion provided a structured, app-based method for consumers to receive free food items during the Christmas season. By leveraging popular holiday characters, the campaign offered a daily incentive for app engagement and mobile ordering. The requirement of a minimum $1 purchase for most offers positioned the freebies as add-ons to regular orders, while the final day's no-purchase-necessary offer served as a closing incentive.