What happens to McDonald’s points when the owner dies
McDonald’s Corporation points are forfeited under the program's terms when the account is closed
McDonald’s Customer Service (Contact Us / online feedback form)
McDonald’s Customer Service (Contact Us / online feedback form)
McDonald’s publishes no timeline for a deceased-account request, because the program has no estate-claims process. The practical clock is set by the points themselves: points expire on the first day of the month after the sixth month from when they were earned, and all accumulated points expire immediately if the account terminates for any reason. A request made through the online feedback form is handled on general customer-service timing, which McDonald’s does not publish.
(General customer service)
When a McDonald’s account holder dies, points are forfeited under McDonald’s Corporation's terms. The account balance has no transferable value, and there is no formal process for heirs to claim points.
Some families have reported receiving accommodations from McDonald’s Corporation customer service, though this is not part of the official policy.
What to do
When a McDonald’s account holder dies, these are the steps to take:
- •Points can be redeemed starting at 1,500 points; a balance below that cannot be redeemed for anything.
- •Points expire on the first day of the month after the sixth month from the day they were earned, so part of a balance may already be close to lapsing.
- •If a family member is a joint device owner and the McDonald’s app is already signed in on a phone you lawfully control, redeeming available points for food in-app is the most direct way to capture their value. Do not use the deceased person’s credentials to sign in to an account you cannot already access.
- •The account holder’s full name
- •The email address on the McDonald’s app account and the phone number on the account
- •The date of death, and a copy of the death certificate if McDonald’s requests it
- •Documentation of your authority to act for the estate, such as letters testamentary or letters of administration, if McDonald’s requests it
Required Documents
- Account holder’s full name and date of death
- Email address and phone number on the McDonald’s app account
- Copy of the death certificate (if requested)
- Documentation of the requester’s authority for the estate, such as letters testamentary or letters of administration (if requested)
Timeline
McDonald’s publishes no timeline for a deceased-account request, because the program has no estate-claims process. The practical clock is set by the points themselves: points expire on the first day of the month after the sixth month from when they were earned, and all accumulated points expire immediately if the account terminates for any reason. A request made through the online feedback form is handled on general customer-service timing, which McDonald’s does not publish.
Frequently asked questions
The points are forfeited by default. The US Terms and Conditions for McDonald’s Online Services do not mention death at all, but they provide that "Upon termination of your online services account for any reason ... all points that you have accumulated in MyMcDonald’s Rewards will immediately expire," and that points are not property, have no cash value, and are not transferable between accounts. McDonald’s UK Rewards Terms are explicit: "A MyMcDonald’s Rewards account will terminate on the death of the account holder. On notification of an account holder’s death, McDonald’s will close that account holder’s MyMcDonald’s Rewards account and all points in that account will be cancelled."
Not as a matter of right. The terms state that points "are not assignable or transferrable between online services accounts or otherwise, and points cannot be combined across accounts, regardless of who registered the account," and that "points are not property and you have no vested right or interest in points." There is no beneficiary designation and McDonald’s publishes no deceased-member transfer exception in the United States. A survivor can still ask McDonald’s to exercise its discretion and transfer or reinstate the unredeemed balance to a named family member as a courtesy, which is what the Digital Assets Recovery Letter does, but McDonald’s is free to decline and no outcome is promised.
No. McDonald’s publishes no dedicated bereavement or estate-claims portal, email address, fax, or mailing address for MyMcDonald’s Rewards, and no deceased-member form. The documented way to reach McDonald’s about an account is the online feedback form linked from McDonald’s Contact Us page. An executor submits the request there, with the death certificate and documentation of authority available on request.
No. The McDonald’s Online Services terms state that points "have no cash value" and are "not property," so there is no basis to redeem them for cash or refund them to an estate. Points can only ever be exchanged for food and drink rewards in the McDonald’s app, and redemption starts at 1,500 points. An Arch Card (McDonald’s gift card) is a different product with its own stored balance and is handled separately from Rewards points.
Do not use the deceased person’s credentials to sign in to an account you cannot already access. If a family member lawfully controls a device where the McDonald’s app is already signed in, redeeming the available points for food is the most direct way to capture their value before the account is closed, because the balance is forfeited on closure. Otherwise the path is to contact McDonald’s through the online feedback form and make the request in writing.
Since McDonald’s points are forfeited at death under the official terms, points can only be used during the account holder's lifetime. Redeeming, transferring, or sharing points while the account is active preserves their value.
Sources
Data sourced from McDonald’s Corporation primary sources (6 pages reviewed). How we research.
McDonald’s Customer Service (Contact Us / online feedback form)
McDonald’s Customer Service (Contact Us / online feedback form)
McDonald’s publishes no timeline for a deceased-account request, because the program has no estate-claims process. The practical clock is set by the points themselves: points expire on the first day of the month after the sixth month from when they were earned, and all accumulated points expire immediately if the account terminates for any reason. A request made through the online feedback form is handled on general customer-service timing, which McDonald’s does not publish.
(General customer service)
