McDonald's Monopoly promotion returns in 2026 with app-exclusive gameplay

McDonald's Monopoly promotion is back this year, but with a twist, bringing the game into the age of apps.

After a 10-year hiatus, McDonald's brought the Monopoly game back in 2025 — and it’s back again this year, but will be played exclusively through the fast-food giant’s app.

For diners who enjoyed the experience of peeling the game pieces off various McDonald's items, fear not; you'll still have to peel your piece off your fry box in order to play.

However, in order to receive a food item with a game piece, diners will have to download the McDonald's app, opt into its Rewards program, pre-register for the game, and then order eligible food items off its "Monopoly at McD's" app menu.

In the past, anyone could play so long as they ordered a food item with a game piece attached to its packaging.

Once all the prerequisite registration is done, McDonald's visitors will then have to peel their game piece off their food and scan it into the chain's app.

The food items that will carry the game pieces include large fries, large hot and cold drinks and more, including some breakfast items, according to McDonald's.

The new Monopoly game will begin on October 6.

McDonald's said in a statement that the new, app-focused experience is "simplified" and offers a "one-of-a-kind prize list."

This year's game pieces will be carried at participating locations and only while supplies last. McDonald's said that approximately 640,591,900 game pieces will be distributed to restaurants.

Prizes range from free food items to a Carnival cruise, a 2027 Jeep Cherokee, up to $50,000 toward a home down payment or college debt, and cash prizes up to $1 million, according to Delish.

McDonald's stopped running its Monopoly game for a decade following the fallout of the "McMillions" scandal.

The original scandal, which involved former police officer Jerome Jacobson stealing game pieces to net himself $24 million in prizes, occurred during the 1990's, but only came to light in August 2001, when the FBI began arresting individuals involved in the scheme.

McDonald's faced backlash from customers, as the scam ensured that few honest players ever won anything significant from the promotion during the 1990's. The company ended the promotion in 2015, replacing it with its NFL-themed "Game Time Gold" promotion until it revived Monopoly last year.