McDonald’s vs Burger King Rewards: Which Loyalty Scheme Is Better Value?

How McDonald’s Rewards and Burger King Rewards Compare

McDonald’s is making changes to its loyalty scheme, which gives you points when you buy food and lets you swap them for free items.

If you use the MyMcDonald’s Rewards app, you’ll already know how it works. You order food, earn points, and once you’ve built up enough, you can get things like fries, burgers, McNuggets or McFlurries without paying extra.

From Tuesday 17th March, though, you’ll need to spend more before you can earn enough points for the same freebies. The food stays the same. The points system stays the same. The value does not.

Many customers are understandably not thrilled, so let’s look at what the scheme looks like now, what’s changing, and how it compares with McDonald’s biggest rival, Burger King, using up-to-date, accurate information.

How MyMcDonald’s Rewards Works

McDonald’s rewards are straightforward. You earn one point for every penny you spend, so £1 earns you 100 points. Once you reach certain point levels, you can redeem them for selected menu items.|

You can redeem rewards in-store, at the kiosk, or in the drive-thru using the app. You can also use rewards on McDelivery orders placed directly through the McDonald’s app. You cannot use rewards through Deliveroo, Just Eat or Uber Eats.

Until now, points built up at a pace that felt fairly reasonable if McDonald’s was somewhere you visited regularly.

What You Can Get With McDonald’s Rewards Right Now

Up to Monday, 16th March, the cheapest rewards cost 1,500 points, which means £15 of spend. That includes items such as a hash brown, small fries, a Mini McFlurry, or a regular McCafé drink.

Mid-range rewards such as a cheeseburger, apple pie, or four Chicken McNuggets cost 2,500 points or £25 in spend. At the top end, items like a Big Mac, McPlant or nine Chicken McNuggets cost 5,500 points, which is £55 of spend.

What’s Changing From 17th March

From Tuesday, 17th March, every reward tier increases.

The cheapest freebies move from 1,500 points to 2,000 points, meaning £20 of spend instead of £15. Mid-tier rewards jump by the equivalent of £10 extra spend, and the top-tier rewards move from £55 up to £65.

Nothing new is being added to balance this out. You earn points at the same rate, but you need more of them to get the same food.

McDonald’s says the change reflects rising food and supply costs. For customers, it simply means waiting longer for rewards.

Points Expiry Is Another Thing to Watch

Since 1st January 2026, McDonald’s points expire six months after they are earned.

If you are sitting on a large points balance, it is worth using it rather than saving it indefinitely, especially with the higher thresholds coming in.

Big Mac vs Whopper: Which One Wins in Points Value?

So we have looked at how McDonald’s rewards work and what is changing. But most people do not think in points. They think in burgers.

A good way to compare the two schemes is to look at their most recognisable items. The Big Mac at McDonald's and the Whopper at Burger King.

With McDonald’s, a Big Mac sits in the top reward tier. From 17th March, you will need 6,500 points, which means £65 of spend, before you can redeem one for free.

Burger King works differently. You earn 10 points for every £1 you spend through the app, and the Whopper becomes available at 300 points. That means roughly £30 of spend, assuming standard point earning.

On paper, Burger King clearly gets you to a headline burger faster. But that is only half the story.

Burger King Rewards Explained

When you order through the Burger King app, you earn 10 points for every £1 you spend. That applies to click-and-collect, kiosk, drive-thru, front counter, and delivery orders placed directly through the Burger King app.

As of 31st January 2026, this is what Burger King points get you.

• At 200 points, you can redeem for six chilli cheese bites, six chicken nuggets, six onion rings, or a large fries.
  

• At 300 points, rewards include a double cheeseburger, a Whopper, a plant-based Whopper, a Chicken Royale, a Vegan Royale, nine chicken nuggets, or nine chilli cheese bites.
  

• At 400 points, you can redeem for a full meal, including a Whopper meal, a plant-based Whopper meal, a Chicken Royale meal, a Vegan Royale meal, or a Bacon Double Cheeseburger meal.
  

• At 500 points, rewards include premium burgers such as a Steakhouse Angus, Steakhouse Chicken, or a Double Whopper.
  

• At 600 points, you unlock premium meals like a Double Whopper meal, Steakhouse Angus meal, or Steakhouse Chicken meal.
  

You do not need to build up thousands of points over a long period to get something substantial.

How Much Do You Need to Spend in Reality?

Looking purely at spend, this is roughly how the two schemes compare.

With McDonald’s after the changes, you are looking at around £20 spent for basic sides, £35 to £50 for burgers and nuggets, and up to £65 for top-tier items.

At Burger King, sides cost around £20, burgers around £30, full meals around £40, and premium items between £50 and £60.

This is why Burger King rewards often feel faster. You get to something meaningful sooner.

But Starting Prices Matter

Points do not tell the whole story.

Burger King is often more expensive than McDonald’s before rewards are applied. So while you may unlock a freebie faster, you may have spent more money upfront to get there, which can cancel out the benefit.

This is where app deals make the biggest difference.

Burger King regularly runs strong offers, such as percentage discounts when you spend a certain amount. We used a 15 per cent off when you spend £15 deal ourselves when taking our son and his friends out for a birthday meal, and it made a noticeable difference.

There are also frequent delivery-only deals, plus value options like Stacker King boxes at £5.99, which include a burger, fries, a drink and a side.

McDonald’s works the same way. The app often has money-off offers, delivery meal bundles, and sharing boxes that can be a better value than earning or redeeming points.

Most of the time, the best saving comes from the deal you use, not the points you earn.

Before You Order, Check This First

Before you place an order, take a moment to check both apps.

• Look at the offers or deals tab, not just the rewards section.

• Check for spend-and-save discounts.

• If you are ordering delivery, look for delivery-only bundles.

• Compare meal deals and sharing boxes with building your own order.

• If you already have points saved, see whether using them actually lowers the total more than a current deal.

• And always compare both apps, as prices and offers change all the time.
  

Points are a bonus. Deals usually save you more.

So Which Loyalty Scheme Is Better?

If you already have McDonald’s points saved up, using them before 17th March, 2026, makes sense while they still go further.

After that, the smartest move is flexibility. Check both apps, compare the offers, and go with whichever gives you the best value that day.

Fast food is expensive enough already. The best loyalty scheme is the one that saves you money right now.

FAQs: McDonald’s vs Burger King Loyalty Schemes

When do the McDonald’s Rewards changes start?

The changes take effect from Tuesday, 17th March, 2026. Any rewards redeemed on or before Monday, 16th March, use the current, lower points thresholds.

Are McDonald’s rewards getting worse?

For most customers, yes. You now need to spend more money to earn the same free items as before. The food available as rewards has not changed, only the points required.

How many points do you earn per pound at McDonald’s?

You earn 100 points for every £1 spent, as McDonald’s gives one point per penny. This earning rate is not changing.

How many points do you need for a free Big Mac?

From 17th March, a Big Mac sits in the top reward tier and requires 6,500 points, which means spending £65.

Do McDonald’s rewards points expire?

Yes. Since 1st January 2026, McDonald’s points expire six months after they are earned.

Can you use McDonald’s rewards on Deliveroo, Just Eat or Uber Eats?

No. Rewards can only be redeemed when ordering directly through the MyMcDonald’s app, either in-store, drive-thru, or for McDelivery placed inside the app.

How does Burger King Rewards work in the UK?

Burger King Rewards gives you 10 points for every £1 spent when you order through the Burger King app. Points can be redeemed for food once you hit set thresholds.

How many Burger King points do you need for a Whopper?

A Whopper costs 300 points, which works out at roughly £30 of spend.

Can you get full meals with Burger King points?

Yes. At 400 points, you can redeem for a full meal, such as a Whopper, Chicken Royale, or Vegan Royale, or similar options. Higher points unlock premium burgers and meals.

Do Burger King rewards work on delivery?

Yes, as long as the delivery order is placed directly through the Burger King app. Rewards usually do not apply to third-party delivery apps.

Which loyalty scheme is better, McDonald’s or Burger King?

It depends on how you order. Burger King rewards tend to unlock faster, especially for burgers and meals. McDonald’s rewards take longer to build, particularly after the March changes, but McDonald’s menu prices are often lower to start with.

Is it better to use points or app deals?

In many cases, app deals save more money than points. Spend-and-save offers, meal bundles, and delivery deals often offer better value than redeeming rewards.

Should I save my points or use them as soon as I can?

With McDonald’s points expiring after six months and reward thresholds increasing, using points when you can usually makes more sense than saving them long-term.