Stop Throwing Away Your Fast Food Receipts And Start Reaping Rewards

In the 1950s, you could buy the entire McDonald's menu for under $2. Today, that might get you a small fry with the way fast food companies have been spiking their prices. According to a FinanceBuzz data study, prices have jumped anywhere from 39% to 100% in the past decade — with McDonald's, Popeyes, and Taco Bell increasing at the quickest rate. As a result, people are dining out less frequently.A report by CNBC from April 2024 quotes McDonald's CEO, Chris Kempczinski, as saying, "Consumers continue to be even more discriminating with every dollar that they spend as they faced elevated prices in their day-to-day spending, which is putting pressure on the [quick-service restaurant] industry."

Fast food caters to working people who need a quick, low-effort meal. While company officials cite operations and labor costs as the driving factor behind price increases, higher prices may also be alienating their most valuable customers. Their solution is right on your receipt.

Fast food companies have started to implement rewards programs into their business model. This strategy promotes customer loyalty by offering discounts on certain menu items based on your purchase history, often by including codes on the receipt or in a mobile app.

The receipt-reward strategy certainly sounds better than "dynamic pricing" or sneaking hidden delivery fees — methods companies have tried to raise profits at the expense of the consumer. Get started by reading the fine print on your receipt, or at least ask a cashier how it works.

Some receipts may have a manual number code you'll need to punch into a mobile app, or they might have a QR code to scan. For instance, Zaxby's requires you to sign up for an account on their mobile app and scan your receipt's QR code to earn points towards free or discounted food. Dairy Queen may offer a free Dilly Bar if you fill out their fan survey by entering a 10-digit code to their website — both are listed on the receipt.

If you're unsure of how to get started, you can always ask a team member of your favorite fast food restaurant. It's also become a common drive-thru practice for employees to ask if you're planning on using rewards at the window. Sometimes all you need to get started is to fill out a single survey. Companies need data to make decisions, and you taking the time to give them feedback helps both parties win.

Some reward systems might be point-based, meaning certain menu items will give you a certain number of points to reach your discount. Others might require you to spend a certain amount of money. The rewards can be anything from BOGOs, markdowns, or even free food. Think about your order before you get to the counter by checking which foods will generate the most points.

Exceptional loyalty and discount programs will provide you with unique perks, quick point generation, and worthwhile deals. Tasting Table researched the 15 best and worst-ranked fast food loyalty apps in order. The best on the list were Chick-fil-A, Wendy's, Panera, Burger King, and Dunkin' Donuts. The restaurants that had less ideal programs were Jimmy John's, Subway, Jersey Mike's, McDonald's, and Domino's. Saving extra money when you want to dine out is always a win. It may take a few minutes out of your day to research, but now you know where to go and what to do. Stop throwing away your receipts and start reaping those rewards next time you're craving some fast food.

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