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As of 2020, McDonald’s had over 30,000 locations worldwide (1). With over 1 billion iPhone users (2), it’s no surprise that many want to use Apple Pay to purchase their meals.
But is it possible to use Apple Pay at McDonald’s?
I drove to the nearest McDonald’s to try it out – and to get a Big Mac. This is what I found.
In This Post:
- Can You Use Apple Pay at McDonald’s?
- How to Use Apple Pay at McDonald’s (Step-By-Step)
- How to Use Apple Pay in a McDonald’s Drive-Thru
- Is Apple Pay Safe to Use at McDonald’s?
- Are There Fees for Using Apple Pay at McDonald’s?
- Is There a Limit for Using Apple Pay at McDonald’s?
- What If You Have Problems Using Apple Pay at McDonald’s?
- Wrapping Up
- References
Can You Use Apple Pay at McDonald’s?
McDonald’s accepts Apple Pay as a payment method at all locations in the United States as of 2021 and many worldwide. It was one of the earliest adopters of the Apple Pay platform. If paying via Apple Pay in the United States, McDonald’s will only accept Visa debit or Visa credit cards that are attached to your Apple Pay wallet.
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How to Use Apple Pay at McDonald’s (Step-By-Step)
To use Apple Pay at McDonald’s, you first must ensure you have Apple Pay set up correctly on your iOS device. This is typically an iPhone or Apple Watch.
To do this, you must first add a debit card or credit card to your Apple Pay Wallet app.
To add a debit card or credit card to your Apple Pay Wallet, open the “Wallet” app and click on the “+” symbol in the top right corner of the app. Then you need to either take a photo of the card you want to use with Apple Pay or manually enter your card’s details.
Once you have a debit card or credit card connected to your Apple Pay Wallet, you can use it at Mcdonald’s just like you would when making any other purchase using Apple Pay.
Let’s review that process for anyone who may be new to using Apple Pay (don’t worry, it’s very easy!).
1) Double-Click the Button on Your iPhone
Quickly push twice or “double-click” the button on the right outside edge of your iPhone (the same button typically used to turn on and off the screen on your phone).
If done correctly, you will see your Apple Wallet open up automatically with an image of your debit card or credit card that you’ve added to your Wallet.
2) Use the Payment Terminal
Next, you need to use the payment terminal (aka card reader) to finish paying for your items using Apple Pay.
To do this, you must hold your iPhone over the payment terminal with your Apple Wallet open on your iPhone (within a few inches of the payment terminal). If done correctly, your payment should automatically process and your debit card or credit card associated with your Apple Wallet will be billed.
That’s it! Pretty easy, huh?
How to Use Apple Pay in a McDonald’s Drive-Thru
The process of using Apple Pay in a McDonald’s drive-thru is very similar to using Apple Pay in-store.
The only real difference is if the McDonald’s drive-thru worker will hold the payment terminal outside of the window so you can hold your phone over it or if you’ll need to hand the drive-thru worker your phone to make the payment.
Other than that, the process should be exactly the same.
Is Apple Pay Safe to Use at McDonald’s?
Apple Pay is safe to use basically anywhere including at McDonald’s. Of course, you’re going to want to be smart when using it but as long as you take the same precautions you would when using a credit card or debit card, it should be perfectly safe.
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Are There Fees for Using Apple Pay at McDonald’s?
As a general rule of thumb, there are no fees when using Apple Pay at McDonald’s or at any other store or restaurant. The only time there would be a fee is from your bank if you overdraw your account. Otherwise using Apple Pay is completely free.
Is There a Limit for Using Apple Pay at McDonald’s?
The only limit when using Apple Pay at McDonald’s is based on the amount of money that you have available in the bank account associated with your Apple Wallet or limits from the bank itself.
What If You Have Problems Using Apple Pay at McDonald’s?
If you have problems using Apple Pay at McDonald’s, the first thing to check is to ensure that you have a debit card properly linked to your Apple Pay through the Wallet app on your iPhone.
If you do and you know you have sufficient funds available, you could always ask a McDonald’s worker to see if they can help you.
If you still aren’t able to get things working properly, I suggest you go to the Apple Support page to get further help.
Wrapping Up
In general, you should be able to use Apple Pay at pretty much every McDonald’s in the United States including in the drive-thru. Using Apple Pay is fee-free and simple to set up and use.
There are no limits associated with using Apple Pay outside of any limits you may have with the bank account associated with your Wallet app and it’s perfectly safe to use at McDonald’s.
References
1. Statista – https://pay.facebook.com/gb/how-it-works/
2. Backlinko – https://backlinko.com/iphone-users
3. Apple Pay Support – https://support.apple.com/apple-pay