Every dedicated McDonald’s customer knows the small thrill of peeling back a Monopoly sticker and discovering they’ve won free fries. The chain’s version of the classic board game has been a fixture of the autumn calendar since it first launched in 2006, with only a brief pause in 2020 due to the pandemic. This year though, fans are set to be disappointed, with McDonald’s confirming there will be no Monopoly promotion in 2026.
A McDonald’s spokesperson told Metro the company is always looking for new ways to surprise and delight customers, and while Monopoly won’t be featured in 2026, the brand will continue paying close attention to what customers enjoy most as it shapes future promotions.
Loyal fans have made their disappointment clear online.
Reaction from devoted McDonald’s fans has been swift and dramatic. On TikTok, one user compared their disappointment to the cancellation of a beloved TV talent show, while another simply said they were in shock. Other comments described feeling devastated, furious, and even refusing to accept the news, with a handful of customers going as far as threatening to boycott the chain altogether.
@foodwithasb McDonald’s monopoly cancelled 😳 #mcdonaldsuk #maccies #mcdonaldsmonopoly #monopoly ♬ original sound – FoodWithASB 🍕🍫
The stakes for missing out are fairly high too. Last year’s prize pool included £100,000 in cash, a £2,000 holiday package, £200 worth of train travel credit, a high-end television, an annual theme park pass for four, a £100 experience day voucher, cinema tickets, branded merchandise, flowers, parking credit, and a wide range of instant win food prizes.
It remains unclear whether this year’s absence is simply a temporary pause, or whether McDonald’s has permanently retired the Monopoly promotion altogether. For now, only time will tell.
There’s a newer alternative already in place.
Fans don’t need to despair entirely though, since McDonald’s launched a separate promotion called CARDS earlier this year, giving customers the chance to collect 24 limited edition cards available through specific meal bundles.
Each card features a recognisable McDonald’s character, sold in packs of four, with every pack guaranteeing at least one card that unlocks a free food item. According to McDonald’s, the remaining cards in the collection also offer the chance to win further prizes once collected through the app. The spokesperson pointed to the CARDS launch back in March, alongside the brand’s first ever Xbox partnership through its recent Side Missions promotion, as examples of the kind of promotions customers have responded well to recently.
Monopoly isn’t the only long-running perk to disappear this year.
The chain’s Wrap of the Day deal, which had run for 15 years, was discontinued in July in favour of a new Wrap in the App promotion instead. Earlier in the year, all five Grilled Chicken menu options were also removed entirely in April, while Mini McFlurries were dropped specifically from the delivery menu, though they remain available in-store.
Despite losing Monopoly this year, there are still a few promotions worth knowing about. From Tuesday 8 September until Wednesday 30 September, customers using the McDonald’s app can claim one free regular McCafé coffee each week, potentially adding up to four free coffees across the month.
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The offer applies to a range of drinks, including flat white, latte, and cappuccino at £2.19 each, white coffee and Americano at £1.79 each, double espresso at £1.59, and single espresso at £1.29. There are also new MyMcDonald’s Rewards offers running until Friday 16 October, including discounts on Merlin attraction tickets and Odeon cinema tickets.
Customers can currently redeem 2,000 reward points for a buy one, get one half price offer on selected Merlin attraction tickets, covering venues including major theme parks, though this particular offer needs to be redeemed by 25 October 2026.
Whether Monopoly makes a comeback in future years is uncertain, but for now, loyal fans will need to make do with these alternative offers instead.
