Fans Say This Is Biggest Problem With The McDonald's Mobile App

Few things have transformed the way customers order at McDonald's as dramatically as the mobile app, but for many fans, the novelty has worn off. Launched in the United States in 2017, the McDonald's app has streamlined the ordering process, allowing customers to choose and pay for their meals before they ever reach the store. But that convenience was only part of the appeal. Packed with special deals and loyalty rewards points, the app was a refuge for people who wanted to cushion the blow of McDonald's price hikes – up 40% for the average menu item since 2019. However, after recent updates, fans online say both the convenience and value associated with the McDonald's mobile app are starting to slip.

The McDonald's app used to offer a pretty constant drumbeat of new deals month to month, some of which were shockingly good. But over the past year, Redditors have said that the value that once enticed customers is gone. One Reddit thread lamented that a coupon for a free any-size fry with a $2 order used to be common, but now the deal requires a higher purchase amount. "$15 for a free medium fry? Like are we serious?" Another thread said, "Yeah, I was getting 50% (off deals), then $2 off frappe and iced coffee deals. Then, once I got addicted, no frappe or coffee deals."

The list of lost McDonald's app deals goes on and on, including few BOGO (buy one get one free) steals, but that isn't the only source of people's frustration. Lag and stuttering have also impeded customers' abilities to take advantage of quick ordering. One fan on Reddit complained, " ... performance is horrible, and I sometimes have to turn my Wi-Fi off for it to work," while another says, "Restarting the app a few times can sometimes make the app exclusive deals show up for me, but for the most part it's a stuttering, glitchy mess that makes me hate going to McDonald's to use it."

While there isn't any great excuse for a slow app from a multibillion-dollar corporation, the lack of mobile app deals from McDonald's may have a clearer explanation. The deals may have been a strategy to get customers on the app in the first place, since most complaints about coupons began in 2025. That's right around the time McDonald's started expanding its McValue menu by making $5 Meal Deals a permanent fixture. The chain also added options to its buy-one-get-one-for-$1 deal. 

The reintroduction of McDonald's Extra Value Meals came later in 2025. It seems likely that McDonald's is trying to make its best deals more regular and dependable fixtures on the menu, instead of constantly changing app deals. That's probably good for customers overall, but undeniably disappointing for superfans who got used to a regular parade of great deals on the app.