McDonald's' Latest Change Will Upset Coffee Drinkers

For Canadians who prefer their old-school McDonald's McCafe loyalty card, the chain has announced that it will soon be phasing out the physical McCafe card loyalty program. Narcity reports that the fast-food giant will stop handing out its loyalty sticker cards as of Aug. 2022. The original way the program worked was that if customers collected seven stickers from hot drinks at McDonald's, the eight drink would be free eighth. To receive the free drink, customers would simply give the loyalty card to an employee and receive a new one to start the process all over again. Customers can use the earned points up until that date.

The good news for existing loyalty card holders is that a similar program where you collect points to get free drinks will still exist, but virtually on the McDonald's official app. Those with a massive stockpile of the cardboard loyalty cards have until the end of 2023 to redeem their rewards from their physical card. 

The report reminds customers that the free drink has to be purchased on its own. The cards aren't redeemable in meals or in conjunction with other deals, sales, promos or discounts. After that 2023 deadline, the cards can't be transferred onto the McDonald's app.