For strictly journalistic purposes not having anything whatsoever to do with me being a sucker for silly, addictive promotions, I visited McDonald’s four times over the past week to collect Monopoly game pieces. Emboldened by the ubiquitous ads that say one in four game pieces are winners, I racked up 40 chances to become a millionaire, or at least a Redbox free rentailaire. But all I have to show for my endeavors are five pounds gained and a free medium fry.
A long time vet of the game, I look forward to every new edition of the contest with enthusiasm. But that joy has been dampened because I’m 1 for 40 in instant win game pieces.
I’m not calling McDonald’s a truth-stretcher or anything, but hopefully my luck will soon change, or at least I’ll hear of others out there who are slugging .500 to make up for my Cincinnati Reds-like batting average.
If you’ve played the game, what have you won so far, and what’s your success percentage?
Two years ago, somebody won the instant-win million dollar grand prize ($50K for 20 years) at the same McDonalds where I used to go for breakfast regularly. The winner went in on a lark for breakfast, and won (she is a doctor).
I did not go in that particular day. Instead, I went into the hospital for an x-ray on my shoulder, which had been hurting severely for the last few weeks. I found out later that day that I had terminal cancer, and I could *really* have used that $50K per year to live out my last few years without having to work three jobs. But I suppose the kind and gentle powers of the universe figured that a doctor who already made lots of money deserved to win more, and I deserved cancer.
Bottom line: if you’re lucky, you’ll win. If you’re unlucky, you never, ever will. Normally I am not bitter, but when it comes to McDonald’s Monopoly, I am. And I hate lotteries and contests.
2 for 12. Won a medium fry and 30 days of Pogo (most useless “prize” I’ve seen so far).
There’s no way to win at McDonald’s Monopoly, since playing would require that I eat McDonald’s ‘food’.
My husband and I went Sunday morning. We got peelies on our hasbrowns on and on one of our drinks. We got a free breakfast sandwhich, so we are 1/6.
I’m in the same boat, once in my high school days, my friends and i pooled all our pieces. We were one away in every category, but not one winner. Between like 8 people who went twice a week at least.
The most I ever won was $5. And hey, the Reds made it to the post-season…unlike, say, the Cubs.
A couple of years ago I ate at McDonald’s almost every day in hopes of winning something in the Monopoly game. Got a lot of free food and Coke points playing the online game which actually got redeemed for several free magazine subscriptions. Not going to play this year since I’m trying to diet. If their grilled chicken sandwich had game pieces on it then maybe but I’m not stuffing my face with Big Macs just to get Monopoly game pieces.
Just play it like the lottery for the tickets but toss the food. Then you can play and not ruin your diet.
2 meals, 2 prizes:
#1. Free Medium Fries (lame, trashed)
#2. $10 walmart gift card (winner! I even gave them my email address..)
Years ago I knew a guy who went to BK when they had the star wars promo, where you could scratch off either the light side or the dark side, but only one. I think every piece had a chance to win, but only if you chose right. Well he chose wrong, and the right side revealed a lincoln navigator. Pretty rough for a broke college student to come that close to a free car. He carried it in his wallet for a while to tell the story at parties and whatnot. Was at least neat to see that big prizes did exist.
Bought a large iced tea. Won a medium fries.
1 for 1 so far.
My wife has a friend that won an iPod Touch the other day. We never actually go to McDonalds, so I guess we’re 0/0.
I got exactly 4 pieces this morning and exactly one was a winner (medium fries)
Someone needs to publish the definitive study on how much of a sales increase McD’s sees during McNopoly…
I don’t eat there much — no, not for elitist reasons… Jack in the Box just happens to be closer) — but so far I’m 1 for 1. As in, some unknown person left an instant winner piece on my desk for any breakfast sandwich (except McGriddles, boo!). Score! Went over this morning and got the most expensive non-McGriddle sandwich on the menu (Sausage buscuit with Egg for those keeping score).
If all your game piece gives you is more McDonalds food can you really call that winning?
So far I’ve gotten 2 free large beef sandwiches, and I’m 2/3rd of the way for $1000 or a spa certificate…here’s hoping I can complete at least 1 of those.
I’m usually pretty into the McDonalds Monopoly game, even knowing i’m not really going to win anything.
However when me and my GF stopped at a McDonalds that was plastered in advertising for the game, all they gave us that was Monopoly themed was a cup that told us about how great it is to “PEEL AND WIN!” ….with NOTHING TO PEEL. That’s right – they only give the illusion of participating in the game to attract customers, while not actually participating.
Sitting this yearly McDonalds binge out I guess…
Well, there was fraud in the game before. See fraud in this article…
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/McDonald%27s_Monopoly
When I was younger I won $500, but my mom had to sign for it. I was 14 at the time.
I’d heard a few years back that employees of the company that printed the game pieces were stealing the winning pieces and handing them over to friends and relatives to collect…
I never get any monopoly pieces with my McDonald’s because I don’t eat large enough meals.
I got a free breakfast sandwich and a free beef sandwich. I am also one piece away from being a millionaire, winning 25 grand, or winning the EA Trip. That’s out of about 12 pieces total. I drink A LOT of frappe’s and my family/boyfriend are saving them too. I got at least two duplicates.I ‘ve never tried to play the game in the past.
Zero for zero in ’10…..a couple years ago, however, not so much….
I’ve gotten 6 game peices so far, only one of which was a winner (free breakfast sandwhich)
I couldn’t tell you how many times I’ve had 2/3 pieces for nearly every place (one year I had Boardwalk, other year I only had Park Place >.