McDonald's Giving Away Free Breakfast to Teachers, School Staffers

McDonald's is showing their appreciation for educators this week with another round of their Thank You Meal Program! The Thank You Meal initiative was first launched during the coronavirus pandemic as a way for the Golden Arches to show their support for first responders and healthcare workers on the frontlines of the pandemic. Now, the chain is recognizing another important group that stepped up over the past year in major ways: teachers.

From Monday, Oct. 11 through Friday, Oct. 15 educators — this includes teachers, administrators, and school staff — can head to their local McDonald's restaurant to grab a free breakfast Thank You Meal. Served in a classic Happy Meal box, the breakfast Thank You Meal an entrée breakfast sandwich — choices include an Egg McMuffin, a Bacon, Egg and Cheese Biscuit, or a Sausage Biscuit — Hash Browns, and a beverage of either a medium McCafé hot or iced coffee or a medium soft drink. To score the free meal, educators must simply show a valid work ID.

When McDonald's kicked off the initiative last year, they handed out 12 million free Thank You Meals. Joe Erlinger, President, McDonald's USA, said the chain is "proud to serve the people who make our communities a better place, and this is an important time to say thank you to some of our everyday heroes."

"As a former teacher, this Thank You Meal means the world to me, and I know it will touch my customers and my employees," Stefanie Cabrera Bentancourt, McDonald's Owner/Operator based in Miami, Florida, added in a press release. "Educators are the backbone of our communities. They've done so much for us, and it's an honor to join my fellow Owner/Operators across the country to celebrate them."

This is just the latest way McDonald's has showed its gratitude for educators. The chain noted that for decades, McDonald's franchisees have supported educators in their local neighborhoods through different initiatives, including McTeachers' Night, coordinating food drops at educators' homes after school, and free meals during the pandemic. The Thank You Meal, it said, "will allow even more educators to be recognized, and is just a small token of our appreciation." In addition to the initiative, McDonald's is also encouraging customers to honor a special educator in their life by using the #ThankYouMeal on Twitter, TikTok, or Instagram through Oct. 15. McDonald's will share some of these messages on its social channels.