How To Order From McDonald’s Online? | Best Ways To Try

Food from McDonald’s always brightens up the day. It’s a one-stop destination that takes care of the needs of every age group throughout the day.

When you live a busy lifestyle, it can be hard to plan your meals. Moreover, sometimes you’re just too tired to cook or go out to eat. In such a case, you can get a delicious meal from McDonald’s by ordering it online. 

Back in the day, you could only enjoy a meal from McDonald’s at the restaurants. But today, you can order from McDonald’s anywhere. Thanks to the wonders of technology!

You can order your favorite McDonald’s burgers, fries, and chicken nuggets from the McDonald’s mobile app and the official website. You can also get the help of food delivery platforms like UberEats, Postmates, Grubhub, DoorDash, etc.

You can also pre-order your McDonald’s meal on the app and pick it up from the drive-thru or restaurant.

Let’s take a detailed look at each option to make your ordering experience from McDonald’s menu easy and hassle-free.

How To Order From McDonald’s Using Their App or Website?

McDonald’s menu includes a wide variety of delicious food options that customers can enjoy. These options include burgers, sides, combos, drinks, McCafe coffees, and sweet treats. 

To order your favorite food items, McDonald’s has a convenient mobile app called the McDonald’s app that gives you access to the full menu and allows you to place an order. Additionally, you can also place an order through McDonald’s official website. 

Let’s look at all the steps to place your order at McDonald’s through the app and website.

Steps To Follow To Order A McDonald’s Meal Using McDonald’s App

1. To place an order through McDonald’s app, you need to download the free McDonald’s app available on ios and Apple devices. 
2. After downloading the app, you will be asked to create an account and enter a credit or debit card to pay for your orders. You can also choose Apple pay or Google pay as a payment option.
3.  To direct your orders to the nearest participating McDonald’s, the McDonald’s app will ask your permission to identify your current location. Allow the app to do so.
4. Select “Order” from the bottom menu bar and select “Pickup” or “McDelivery.”
5. Once these basic steps are completed, you can navigate through the menu and add your desirable food items to the cart.
6. Once you finish adding the items to the cart, you will have to authorize payment using your saved card or Apple or Google pay. At this time, your payment won’t go through. It will be done once your order is completed at the restaurant.
7. You will then be asked to click the “check-in” tab to send the order to the restaurant. You’ll be given a 4-digit code once you check in, which will be used to identify your order at pickup.
8. The payment will go through. Once that’s done, your order will be prepared once you check in.
9. Once you receive the 4-digit code, you will be asked to decide to pick up your order from the restaurant, drive-thru, or curbside.
10. Finally, you can pick up your order by sharing the code at the “Drive-thru,” curbside, or restaurant.

Steps To Follow To Order A McDonald’s Meal Using McDonald’s Website

If you wish to order a meal from McDonald’s through its website, below are the steps to place your order.

1. Open the McDonald’s website on your computer or laptop. 
2. On the top right side of your screen, you will find an order now option.
3. Click on order now option and confirm your delivery address.
4. You will then be asked to choose your delivery option. These options include McDelivery, Uber Eats, Postmates, Grubhub, and Doordash. 
5. After selecting a McDelivery partner, you will be redirected to their website to place your delivery order. For this purpose, you will also require an account with whichever McDelivery partner you choose.
6. Suppose you choose “UberEats”; you will be redirected to UberEats.
7. Here you can add your desired food items to the cart. 
8. You will now be asked to make the payment. 
9. Your order is complete. It will be delivered to you at your doorstep.

How to Order McDonald’s Using McDelivery?

You can order your favorite McDonald’s menu items using your phone or computer and get them delivered to your door at an additional fee with McDelivery.

However, it should be noted that McDelivery has been terminated in some countries. The delivery service has been shifted officially to more popular food delivery applications and services such as DoorDash, Uber Eats, Postmates, and Grubhub. Therefore, to place your order through any of these apps, you must have an account on their app. 

 Let’s check out the steps below to place an order through McDelivery.

1. Download the McDonald’s app. Remember, you will also need an UberEats, Grubhub, Postmates, or DoorDash account. You can download any of these apps for Apple iOS or Android versions.  
2.  Share your location to find the closest McDonald’s delivery near you.
3. You will be given an estimated delivery time and the additional delivery fee. At this time, you can choose to switch to a pickup order if you want to.
4. By continuing your McDelivery order, you will be able to choose and select from the McDonald’s delivery menu. Once you have your order in your “bag,” click the checkout now option.
5. Next, review your order; if everything is correct, you will continue with Uber Eats.
6. You will be redirected to your Uber Eats app to complete your order. Once you do this, your UberEats account will be linked to your McDonald’s app, and you will no longer need this step.

How To Order From McDonald’s Using A Delivery App Like GrubHub or Doordash?

Ordering a meal from McDonald’s online through delivery apps like Grubhub or Doordash is as easy as it is from the McDonald’s mobile app or through its website.

McDonald’s has partnered with food delivery partners like Grubhub, DoorDash, Uber Eats, and Postmates. The process is the same for any app. Check out the basic steps to order through a delivery app. 

1. Download the app of any of the food delivery apps mentioned above if you haven’t already, and make an account.
2. Enter your address to find the McDonald’s nearest to you.
3. Click on McDonald’s and choose the food you’re craving on your app of choice.
4. Once you confirm your order, you’ll finish and pay. You can do so through your cards saved to your Grubhub, DoorDash, UberEats, or Postmates account.
5. You can also track your food as it’s prepared, picked up, and on its way to you.

Always remember that while you can place an order through different food delivery apps, the final bill will have an added delivery cost. 

This cost will depend on which app you’re using, your order total, and how far you are from Mcdonald’s location, you’re ordering from.

How To Order From McDonald’s Using A Drive-Thru?

Technology is mankind’s biggest and best innovation. It helps you sit at home, order your favorite, and decide how you want to get it delivered or picked up. 

Therefore, make the best use of your time and technology by ordering your food before you reach the pickup location. Your nearest McDonald’s Drive Thru is a convenient and contactless way to order all the delicious food you love. 

You can visit McDonald’s Restaurant Locator and type in your zip code to find a McDonald’s Drive Thru near you. Follow the steps below to order from McDonald’s drive-thru.

1. Download the McDonald’s app and set up an account. 
2. The app will show you four sections: Order, Deals, Locations, and Nutrition. You can directly go to the order page or go to deals if you wish to start there. 
3. Once you have added your food items, you will authorize payment using your saved credit card, Apple Pay, or Google Pay. But your payment will only go through once your order is completed at the restaurant.
4. Next, you will be asked to click the “check-in” tab to send the order to the restaurant. A 4-digit code will be provided to you once you check in, which will be used to identify your order at pickup. Your payment will go through after sharing this code, and your order will be prepared.
5. Once you receive the 4-digit code, you will be asked to decide to pick up your order from the restaurant, drive-thru, or curbside.
6. You will select a drive-thru.
7. When you reach the drive-thru, give them the code on the screen to identify your order. 
8. You will be handed over your order.

How To Order From McDonald’s In Store?

One of the easiest ways to order food from McDonald’s is by visiting the nearest restaurant to you. All you have to do is decide on what you want to have and make payment through the most convenient method.

The payment methods include cash, digital payments made through Apple Pay or Google Pay, or using credit and debit cards. At McDonald’s, all these payment methods can be used to place an order on the counter or in-store touchscreen.

Placing Order At The Counter

1. Head to your nearest McDonald’s restaurant.
2. Go to the counter and decide on your meal from the menu. Most McDonald’s now have digital menu boards. 
3. Place the order with the cashier at the counter.
4. Pay via cash, scanning your smartphone with a linked payment app like Apple Pay or Google Pay, credit and debit card, or McDonald’s gift card.
5. After making the payment, take the receipt and wait for your order.
6. Some McDonald’s outlets deliver food to your table. If so, they’ll give you a numbered tag or electronic tag. 

Placing Order Through In-Store Touchscreen

Ordering from McDonald’s in-store touchscreen is equally easy. A touch screen ordering kiosk is like a flat-screen TV mounted vertically. You will find them near the main entrance and the walk-up counter. These screens display ads for menu items and are usually labeled as ordering kiosks.

Follow the steps below to order through in-store touchscreen kiosks.

1. Touch the screen to begin your order
2. The initial ordering screen will replace the food ad.
3. You will be asked to select “dine in” or “take out.” Using your index finger tab, “dine-in” on the screen if you wish to have your meal at the restaurant. Tab “take out” if you wish to carry your meal.
4. You might also be asked to select your payment method before ordering. If you want to pay with cash, you’ll have to walk up to the counter to pay after you’ve ordered. If you pay by credit, debit, or gift card, you can swipe it right at the kiosk when you’re done ordering.
5. The touchscreen will now show you the whole menu grouped into major categories. Touch a category to find your preferred food item.
6. Choose your food item. You can also customize your order with options like “add sauce?”, “add lettuce?” and so on when you touch on a menu item.
7. If you wish to remove some items from your cart, look for the “remove” or “go back” tab as you order an item.
8.  Each time you select an item, you will have an “Add to Order” or “Confirm” tab for you to touch.
9. When you’ve finished ordering your meal, look for a tab that says “Done,” “Complete Order,” or “Finish and Pay” at the bottom of the screen.
10. When you tab on it, you’ll see a list of your entire order and a dialog box asking if your order is correct with “Yes” or “No” tabs. If there is an error, touch on “No,” and you can go back and make changes to your order. If everything looks right, click “Yes” and proceed to payment.
11. If you are paying by credit, debit, or gift card, you can pay at the kiosk and get a numbered receipt. If you are paying by cash, you will likely get your numbered receipt and have to go to the counter to make the payment. 
12. When the number on your receipt is called or is shown on the screen at the pickup area of the counter, your order is ready.

Different Payment Methods To Use At McDonald’s

Now that you know how to place your McDonald’s order, let’s also find the popular payment methods to make your checkout process easy. 

You can use a registered card issued by a U.S. bank to make payments at McDonald’s. Some cards include Visa, MasterCard, American Express, and Discover cards. You can also use Apple or Google pay. 

You can pay through Apple Pay if you have an iOS device and your card is registered to your Apple Wallet. Apple Pay will automatically display as a payment option within the McDonald’s app. If you have registered a card to the Google Pay app on your Android, you can select Google Pay as a payment method in the McDonald’s app. Let’s take a deeper look at each of these options.

1. Cash

Cash is one of the most common methods used to make purchases worldwide. McDonald’s allows you to pay via many payment options, including cash. 

For easy cash payments at McDonald’s, you can place an order at the restaurant, pay via cash, and complete your order.

But can you pay cash while placing an order online?

Let’s understand the basics of the app first. When you place an online order at McDonald’s, the app will require you to set up a payment option using a debit/credit card, without which you can go no further. 

The whole idea of having the McDonald’s app is to place your order with the app and have it billed directly to your card so that you don’t have to pay at the restaurant.

However, a point to be noted is that your card is not charged until you pick up your order. In fact, McDonald’s doesn’t prepare your order until you are at the restaurant and give them your confirmation code. 

So, how do you make cash payments at McDonald’s by ordering on the app?

I am sharing with you a hack for cash payments at McDonald’s that many customers have pointed out. Let’s see how it works. 

While ideally, you can’t make a cash payment for online orders through McDonald’s apps, you can tell the cashier before sharing the confirmation code that you will use cash to pay the bill. 

But you must remember that not all cashiers are aware of this fact. They may tell you that the app charged your card. So, you may have to call the manager and complete your order. 

2. Credit & Debit Cards

You can also use U.S. banks authorized credit and debit cards to make your payments at the restaurant or through the mobile app. Some of the cards accepted by McDonald’s include Visa, MasterCard, American Express, and Discover cards.  

Credit and debit cards can also be used when ordering through the McDonald’s mobile app and third-party delivery apps.

3. Apple Pay

If you happen to find yourself out of cash, you can easily make payments at McDonald’s using Apple Pay while dining in at the restaurant or by paying through it via the McDonald’s app or other food delivery app.

Most of the U.S. population has an apple device at home. Therefore, apple pay has become a famous mode for making payments. By looking at this popular payment method, McDonald’s announced its use in 2014.

You can check out how to make payments for McDonald’s using Apple Pay and its benefits here.

4. Google Pay

Just like Apple Pay, you can make payments easily at McDonald’s using Google Pay. To use this payment method, you must be an Android user and have a Google Pay account. You must scan the restaurant’s Google Pay ID and enter the amount to be paid. The payment will be made within a few seconds!

You can read more about how to make payments at McDonald’s using Google Pay here. 

5. Ebt / Food Stamps

While many popular fast-food restaurants like Burger King, Domino’s, Subway, Taco Bell, Jack in the Box, etc., let you make payments through EBT/Food Stamps, in general, McDonald’s doesn’t allow its use. 

EBT is a way to use SNAP benefits like food stamps from the government. It has many restrictions to ensure it is used for its intended purpose.

However, according to Frugal Reality, “you can use an EBT card at McDonald’s if you live in a state that participates in the Restaurant Meals Program (RMP).” The only few states participating in the RMP include California, Arizona, Michigan, Maryland, Rhode Island, and Illinois. 

You can read more about whether McDonald’s will take EBT/Food Stamps here. 

Is There A Minimum Amount Limit To Order Food From McDonald’s?

If you are craving McDonald’s fries and wondering whether there is a minimum order amount to place your order, I have good news for you.

At McDonald’s, you can just walk away by purchasing a small size of fries or a drink without having to worry about billing a big order. McDonald’s has no minimum order limit at the store or through the online ordering system. However, small fees may apply to delivery orders.

But in some cases where McDonald’s promotions apply, you may require to spend a minimum amount on qualifying for the promotion. 

How To Know Which McDonald’s Deals Are Valid While Ordering?

We have reached the end of this article, and you have all the answers to buy yourself a meal from McDonald’s in easy steps. But eating outside food becomes more fun when your pocket also benefits from it. 

Thus, to make the customer experience joyful, McDonald’s also offers special deals which keep changing from time to time. Would you like to avail yourself of some special deals? You can do so by checking the latest McDonald’s deals on their mobile app or official website. 

You will also know right there which McDonald’s deals are valid while placing your order.

To stay up to date with McDonald’s deals, you can also check all the deals running at McDonald’s in our special article on McDonald’s deals you need to know about. 

Frequently Answered Questions (FAQs)