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American Express and McDonald's USA to bring Membership Rewards Points to McDonald's restaurants

American Express to donate $1 to Ronald McDonald House charities each time a card member redeems points.

October 14, 2014

American Express and McDonald's have announced that eligible U.S. card members enrolled in the Membership Rewards program can now use points, in select locations, in real-time for food and beverages at the counter in McDonald's restaurants. This capability is expected to roll out to all participating McDonalds U.S. locations by December 2014.

As part of the launch, each time an American Express card member uses points for their McDonald's order, American Express will make a $1 donation to the Ronald McDonald House Charities.

"We're constantly looking for ways to make life easier for our customers, including multiple payment options," said Kevin Newell, executive vice president, chief brand and strategy officer, McDonald's USA. "American Express has been on the cutting edge of commerce innovation, complementing our mission to add more value to our customers' overall restaurant experience. In addition, American Express' commitment to donate to RMHC makes using Membership Rewards points at McDonald's even more rewarding."

As it rolls out to participating McDonald's restaurants in the coming months, American Express' technology will enable eligible card members to use Membership Rewards points for their McDonald's orders — there are no codes and no registration needed.

To use points at the counter at participating McDonald's restaurants, consumers can:

• Pay with an eligible American Express Card at the counter;
• On the payment screen, see the option to use points, and the number of points needed for the order;
• Press the green "Yes" button to use points for the order; receive an on-screen confirmation that points were used.

To use points at the drive-thru, after paying with an eligible American Express Card, card members can use points for their order via the American Express Mobile app or online at americanexpress.com.