McDonald's is bringing back "Monopoly." Will the game help boost the chain's sales?

On October 6, McDonald's restaurant chain restarted its famous "Monopoly" promotion in the U.S.: visitors can win prizes - from free snacks to a million dollars - when buying lunch. According to analysts, the promotion can support the chain's sales, despite the general downturn in the industry. After the announcement of the action Jefferies maintained a positive view on McDonald's shares, expecting them to grow by 20%.

McDonald's restaurants in the US are seeing the return of the Monopoly promotion, launched in 1987, for the first time since 2016. For a long time it was one of the most effective marketing tools of the network, writes Yahoo Finance. As part of the campaign, McDonald's is giving away Monopoly game cards for purchases. Some cards can be instantly redeemed for prizes, while others must be collected in a certain combination to participate in a drawing for a valuable gift.

The decision to relaunch comes amid the chain's struggles, MarketWatch writes. In recent years, many fast food consumers have complained about rising prices. The company responded by offering bargain bundles, particularly $5 and $8 combos. However, "Monopoly" is not so much about saving money on lunch, but about the hype around the brand and awakening interest in a familiar and beloved format of the audience, the publication stresses.

Most Wall Street analysts are optimistic about the prospects for the campaign, MarketWatch notes.

- "Nostalgia seems to be working," said KeyBanc Capital Markets analyst Eric Gonzalez.

- Bank of America analyst Sarah Senatore added: "It's about getting attention. The things that really get people into a restaurant aren't always about discounts." She recalled the early 2025 campaign when McDonald's released Minecraft themed menus - and it worked.

- "I think the stock will really support sales," said Mark Kalinowski, an analyst at Kalinowski Equity Research with decades of experience tracking the restaurant industry. He expects McDonald's comparable sales in the U.S. to grow 4 percent in the fourth quarter, a stark contrast to the first quarter of 2025, when the figure fell 3.6 percent.

- "The Monopoly game will return to the U.S. for the first time in nearly a decade ... and we believe it will be well-received," Jefferies analyst Andy Barish wrote in a note to clients. According to Barish, cited by Yahoo Finance, the promotion could boost customer traffic, McDonald's app installations and loyalty program sign-ups, especially at a time when demand for fast food remains volatile. Jefferies notes that the return of Monopoly coincides with the promotion of Extra Value Meals, new combo sets that reduce the price of popular items (such as Big Macs and McCrispy's) by about 15% compared to buying the same items individually.

After the announcement, Jefferies maintained a positive view on McDonald's shares: the investment bank expects them to grow by 20%, to $360, and advises to buy. Jefferies lowered its forecast for McDonald's comparable sales in the U.S. for the third quarter from 3% to 2.5% due to September price adjustments, including discounts on popular sets. However, analysts expect the momentum to improve as early as the fourth quarter. "We expect traffic to gradually increase (and begin to more than offset lower average check as early as the fourth quarter) as the recognition of Extra Value Meals strengthens and overlaps with other available menu offerings," Barish said.

The restaurant chain's shares fell 1.6% to $296.2 in Monday trading.

Analysts believe that the effect of "Monopoly" may not only be short-term, writes MarketWatch. To participate in the drawing, you need to use the McDonald's mobile application - and this means that even more customers will get acquainted with the company's digital platform. In the long run, this creates a marketing opportunity: McDonald's will be able to communicate with users even after the promotion ends. Active use of the app can also reduce the load on cash registers, reducing staff costs, experts interviewed by the publication say.

McDonald's will spend up to $40 million on marketing the game, Yahoo Finance writes. In addition to high costs, lottery promotions are potentially vulnerable to fraud. In the 1990s and early 2000s, Monopoly was at the center of a scandal: security officer Jerome Jacobson, who was in charge of the contest, falsified the results of the drawing. The scheme, which lasted several years, led to the conviction of more than 50 people and formed the basis of the HBO documentary series McMillions. The scandal caused serious damage to McDonald's reputation, after which the company moved the promotion outside the U.S. - where it remains popular to this day.

Now McDonald's emphasizes that it pays attention to security: the new version of the game has implemented special measures and protection protocols. However, the company declined to comment on how much the action could affect sales, writes MarketWatch.

This article was AI-translated and verified by a human editor