The Real Story on McDonald’s Senior Discounts (2025)

If you’ve heard that McDonald’s has a “senior discount,” the short answer is: sometimes. There is no nationwide senior discount set by McDonald’s corporate. Most restaurants are locally owned, so each owner decides what to offer. This guide explains what you might see, how to check your local store, and a few easy ways to save that often beat any senior discount.

What a senior discount usually looks like

Because owners set local policies, offers vary by location. Common patterns include:

• Discounted beverages (often a small coffee or soft drink).

• Age cutoffs that start at 55 in many places (sometimes 60).

• Occasional percent-off deals (for example, 10–15% off the order) at participating locations.

Treat these as possibilities—not promises—until you check your specific restaurant.

How to confirm your local McDonald’s policy (quick steps)

1. Look up the location. Use McDonald’s Restaurant Locator (or the Locations section in the app) to find the store’s phone number and hours.

2. Call ahead and ask two questions:

   • “Do you offer a senior discount? What’s the age and what’s included?”

   • “Does it apply to dine-in, drive-thru, and app orders, or only certain ways of ordering?”

3. Ask about stacking. Most app deals are limited to one deal per person per visit, so stores may not combine a local senior price with an app offer.

4. Bring simple proof of age if requested (some locations may ask).

Easy ways to save—whether or not your store has a senior discount

1) The McDonald’s app: Rewards + rotating deals

• MyMcDonald’s Rewards: You earn 100 points per $1 on eligible purchases, and you can start redeeming at 1,500 points.

• Deals tab: National and local offers rotate (free items with purchase, dollars-off, or bundle specials). You can use one deal per person per visit.

• “Free Fries Friday”: A recurring national offer in 2025—free medium fries with a $1+ purchase in the app on Fridays at participating restaurants.

Why it matters: If your local senior deal is a small beverage discount, an app deal will often save more—especially if you’re buying a full meal.

2) Value platforms and bundles

• McValue™: Ongoing U.S. value platform that includes app-exclusive deals and a Buy One, Add One for $1 offer on select items.

• $5 Meal Deal: A bundle (McDouble® or McChicken®, small fries, 4-pc McNuggets®, and a small drink) that’s been widely promoted since 2024 and folded into McValue in 2025 in many markets.

• Extra Value Meals are back (2025): McDonald’s re-highlighted Extra Value Meals in 2025, with sample launch prices like a $5 Sausage McMuffin with Egg meal and an $8 Big Mac meal in participating areas.

Tip: Prices and participation vary by market and restaurant. Check the app or ask your local store for what’s active near you.

Which saves more—senior discount or app/value deal?

It depends on your store and what you’re ordering.

• Buying coffee or a single drink? A local senior beverage price can be the best simple discount.

  • Someone on reddit said this about their local senior discount: ” I’ve ordered senior coffee for my mom on the app and no one at the front desk asked for ID or anything when i picked it up. I could probably order one for myself as well, but $1 iced coffees is a better deal right now.”

• Buying a meal or feeding two people? The app deal or a bundle (e.g., $5 Meal Deal, Buy One/Add One for $1) often delivers bigger savings than a small beverage discount.

Smart ordering flow (one-minute checklist)

1. Open the app before you go. Check Rewards and Deals; redeem if you see a strong offer.

2. If no good app deal, call the store to ask about a senior discount (age, what’s included, and where it applies: counter, drive-thru, app).

3. Compare at checkout: a rotating app deal or value bundle often beats a small percent-off or beverage discount.

4. Stick to one promotion: you’ll be limited to one app deal per person per visit; stores may not stack a local senior price with a separate app deal.

Quick FAQ for Seniors

Is there a nationwide McDonald’s senior discount?
No. Discounts are location-by-location because most restaurants are locally owned.

What age qualifies?
Many locations use 55+ (some use 60+). You must ask your store.

What’s the most common senior offer?
A discounted coffee or soft drink is most typical; some stores offer a small percent-off instead.

How do I find and contact my nearest McDonald’s?
Use the Restaurant Locator (or the app’s Locations section) to get the phone number and hours for any U.S. store.

Can I combine a senior discount with an app deal?
Usually no. The app allows one deal per person per visit, and stores decide whether they’ll stack a local senior price with anything else.

Bottom line

• There is no universal McDonald’s senior discount. Offers are local because about 95% of restaurants are franchised and set some of their own pricing and promotions.

• What you’ll often find: a low-price coffee/soft drink for seniors (commonly 55+, sometimes 60+) or a small percent-off at participating locations.

• To save the most, start with the McDonald’s app (Rewards + Deals), then ask your store about any senior price. Compare—app deals and value bundles frequently out-save a beverage discount.