Terms and Conditions for McDonald’s Happy Meal

Last updated: July 02, 2024

Important: Please carefully read and understand these terms and conditions (“terms”). They contain an arbitration agreement, jury and class action waivers, limitations on McDonald’s liability and other provisions that affect your legal rights.

By accessing or using this platform, QR codes, and other digital properties on which these terms are posted or referenced (together, “online services”), you are entering into a binding agreement with McDonald’s Corporation ( “McDonald’s”, “we” or “us”), which controls and operates the online services from its headquarters at 110 North Carpenter Street, Chicago, Illinois 60607.

By accepting these terms, you understand and agree that, as stated in Section 6, you are waiving your right to resolve any dispute through other processes that could be available to you, such as court actions or administrative proceedings. It also means that you are waiving your rights to a trial by jury or to combine your dispute with others in a class action.

If you do not agree to these terms, then you must immediately stop using the online services and request that McDonald’s close any online services account that you have created.

 

1. About the online services.

Availability of products and services. 

McDonald's products and services are available in many parts of the world. However, the online services may describe products and services that are not available worldwide.

 

Obey the rules of the road

Whenever you use the online services, you must obey the rules of the road and all applicable rules and regulations You must not use the online services while driving or while behind the wheel or controls of a vehicle that is moving or not in “park”. In the interest of safety at all times, you should only use the online services when it is lawful and safe to do so.

 

You are responsible for your devices and accounts.

You are responsible for any devices, software and services needed to use the online services. McDonald’s does not guarantee that the online services will fully function on any particular device or with any particular software. You may only use the online services with devices that you own or control and using only the authorized operating system (e.g., Apple iPhone OS for Apple devices).

 

McDonald’s right to update or terminate the online services.

You understand and consent that (with or without notice) McDonald’s may update, modify or terminate the online services (or your access to them) from time to time.

 

Updates to these terms.

McDonald's may also update these terms at any time and at its sole discretion. If McDonald’s makes material changes to the terms, we will notify you by any reasonable means such as by posting the new terms in the online service. If you do not agree to the changed terms, then you must immediately stop using the online services.

 

2. Ownership and Licenses for the online services.

McDonald’s intellectual property ownership.

Any and all rights in the online services are and shall remain the exclusive property of McDonald’s or its licensors. For purposes of clarity, “online services” includes any and all content on the online services, such as, but not limited to, text, images, graphics, logos, page headers, button icons, images, audio clips, digital downloads, data compilations, software, trademarks, service marks, trade dress, audio, video, data and other materials (together, “content”) as well as any part of the online services. The online services are licensed, not sold, to you. Nothing in these terms intends to transfer any such rights to, or to vest any such rights in, you. You may not take any action to jeopardize, limit or interfere with McDonald’s or its licensors’ rights.

 

Your license to use the online services.

Subject to these terms, you are granted a personal, non-exclusive, non-transferable and revocable license to use the online services solely for your own personal, non-commercial purposes and solely in accordance with these terms. For purposes of clarity, “Use” includes access, interact with, and display. No licenses or rights are granted to you by implication or otherwise, except for the licenses and rights these terms expressly grant to you. McDonald’s reserves all other rights.

Trademark information.

Trademarks, service marks, and all graphical elements, including the look and feel appearing on the online services, are distinctive and protected trademarks or trade dress of McDonald’s or its licensors.The online services may also contain various third-party names, trademarks, service marks, designs, character names and other related intellectual property that are property of their respective owners.

 

3. Copyright notice.

McDonald’s will respond to notices of alleged copyright infringement that comply with the Digital Millennium Copyright Act (“DMCA”). If you believe that your copyrighted work is infringed by content appearing on the online services, please provide a written DMCA notice to McDonald’s at: McDonald’s Corporation, 110 North Carpenter Street, Chicago, Illinois 60607, Attn: DMCA copyright administrator, (630) 623-3000 or by email to dmca@us.mcd.com.

 

What to include in your infringement notice.

Please include the following information in your notice to us, along with your full name, address, telephone number and email address:

  1. A detailed description of the copyrighted work that you believe has been infringed.
  2. A detailed description of the content on the online services that you believe infringes the copyrighted work, including information reasonably sufficient to permit McDonald’s to locate the alleged infringing content (e.g., the page on the online services where the alleged infringing content is located).
  3. The following statement, signed by the copyright owner or a person authorized to act on behalf of the copyright owner of an exclusive right that is allegedly infringed: “I have a good faith belief that use of the material in the manner complained of is not authorized by the copyright owner, its agent or the law. I swear, under penalty of perjury, that the information in the notification is accurate and that I am the copyright owner or am authorized to act on behalf of the copyright owner of an exclusive right that is allegedly infringed.”

 

4. Acceptable uses and restrictions for the online services.

Acceptable uses and other restrictions.

With respect to the online services (which includes content), you may not, and may not allow third parties, to:

  1. Use the online services for any purpose that is unlawful or prohibited by these terms;
  2. Delete or change any copyright, trademark, or other proprietary notices;
  3. Attempt to obtain ownership or title to the online services, including the content;
  4. Use, copy, distribute, republish, display, disclose, upload, post, or transmit the online services in any commercial manner;
  5. Rent, lease, sell, sub-license, loan, translate, merge, adapt, assign or transfer the online services, or combine them with, or incorporate them into, any other programs or services;
  6. Disassemble, decompile, reverse-engineer, copy in source or object code format, or create derivative works based on the online services;
  7. Transfer, provide, export or re-export the online services in violations of an embargo, trade sanction, or other technology control or export laws and regulations; you also represent and warrant that you are not (i) located in a country subject to a U.S. Government embargo, or designated by the U.S. Government as a “terrorist supporting” country; or (ii) listed on any U.S. Government list of prohibited or restricted parties;
  8. Use or launch any unauthorized technology or automated system to access the online services or extract content from the online services, including but not limited to spiders, robots, screen scrapers, or offline readers;
  9. Attempt to disable, damage, overburden, impair or gain unauthorized access to the online services, McDonald’s network or any user accounts associated with the online services.

 

5. Limitations on liability and disclaimers.

Limitations on McDonald’s liability.

Neither McDonald’s nor any other Members of the McDonald’s System shall be liable for any direct or indirect lost profits or lost business damage, special, indirect, consequential, exemplary or incidental damages, including lost data, personal injury or property damage related to or arising out of the online services. Nothing in this section is intended to limit McDonald’s liability for damages to the extent caused by McDonald’s own gross negligence or intentional or unlawful misconduct. Additionally, nothing in this section is intended to limit or alter your rights as a consumer that cannot be limited or altered under applicable law. McDonald’s reserves all legal rights to recover damages or other compensation under these terms or as allowed by law.

 

McDonald’s provides the online services “AS-IS” and without any warranties.

The online services may include inaccuracies or errors. McDonald’s provides the online services “as is” and without warranties of any kind either expressed or implied. McDonald’s disclaims all warranties of merchantability and fitness or a particular purpose. McDonald’s does not warrant or make any representation that the online services will be accurate, reliable, uninterrupted or error-free, that defects will be corrected, or that the online services are free of viruses or other harmful components. You assume total responsibility related to your use of the online services. Your sole remedy against McDonald’s and all other Members of the McDonald’s System for dissatisfaction with the online services is to stop using them. This limitation of relief is a part of the bargain between the parties. These warranty exclusions may not apply to you to the extent that applicable law does not allow the exclusion of implied warranties.

 

Third party services.

The online services may link to or allow you to use third-party websites, downloadable materials, content, social networks, or other digital services (together, “third party services”). These third parties may have their separate terms and conditions or privacy policies that you should review and understand before using them. McDonald’s does not endorse and is not associated with any of these third party services. Neither McDonald’s nor any other Members of the McDonald’s System have any responsibility arising from or related to these third party services.

 

Events beyond our control.

Neither McDonald’s nor any other Members of the McDonald’s System have any responsibility for McDonald’s failure to perform any of its obligations under these terms cause by or related to any event beyond McDonald’s reasonable control. If such an event occurs, then McDonald’s obligations under these terms will be suspended for the duration of the event; and McDonald’s may, but is not required to, use reasonable endeavors to find a solution by which its obligations under these terms may be performed despite the event.

 

How we settle disputes.

You agree that:

  1. any claim or dispute (whether in contract, tort, or otherwise) you may have with McDonald’s or any other Members of the McDonald’s System arising from or related to the online services or these terms will be resolved exclusively by final and binding arbitration administered by JAMS and conducted before a single arbitrator using JAMS’s Streamlined Arbitration Rules and Procedures (“rules and procedures”);
  2. this arbitration agreement is made pursuant to a transaction involving interstate commerce, and shall be governed by the Federal Arbitration Act (“FAA”), 9 U.S.C. §§ 1-16;
  3. the arbitration shall be held at a location determined by JAMS under its rules and procedures (provided such location is reasonably convenient to you), or at such other location as may be mutually agreed to by you and McDonald’s or other Members of the McDonald’s System;
  4. the arbitrator’s decision shall be based on these terms and any of the other agreements referenced herein that you may have entered into in connection with the online services;
  5. the arbitrator shall apply Illinois law consistent with the FAA, and applicable statutes of limitations, and shall honor claims of privilege recognized at law;
  6. no claims shall be arbitrated on a class or representative basis as you and McDonald’s hereby waive the right to assert claims in any class or representative action; arbitration will therefore only decide the individual claims of you and McDonald’s; it is agreed that the arbitrator may not consolidate or join the claims of any other person or party to an arbitration between you and McDonald’s under this provision;
  7. you and McDonald's empower the arbitrator with the exclusive authority to resolve any dispute relating to the interpretation, applicability or enforceability of these terms or formation of this contract, including the arbitrability of any dispute and any claim that all or any part of these terms are void or voidable; 
  8. in the event that the administrative fees, arbitrator fees and filing fees associated with the arbitration exceed $100 USD, McDonald’s agrees to pay any such administrative, arbitrator and filing fees exceeding $100 on your behalf, subject to ultimate allocation by the arbitrator. In addition, if you are able to demonstrate that the costs of arbitration will be prohibitive as compared to the costs of litigation, McDonald’s will pay as much of your fees in connection with the arbitration as the arbitrator deems necessary to prevent the arbitration from being cost-prohibitive; and
  9. with the exception of subpart (6) above, if any part of this arbitration provision is deemed to be invalid, unenforceable or illegal, or otherwise conflicts with the rules and procedures, then the balance of this arbitration provision shall remain in effect and shall be construed in accordance with its terms as if the invalid, unenforceable, illegal or conflicting provision were not contained herein. If, however, subpart (6) above is found to be invalid, unenforceable or illegal, then the entirety of this arbitration provision shall be null and void, and neither McDonald’s nor you shall be entitled to arbitrate their dispute. In such event, you agree to bring any and all claims arising out of or related to these terms or the online services in either the state courts of DuPage County, Illinois or the United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois.  Further, both you and McDonald's agree to waive any right to a trial by jury. Finally, this arbitration provision is reciprocally binding on all parties, such that both you and McDonald’s are required to arbitrate their claims against one another. For more information on JAMS and/or JAMS Rules and Procedures, you may visit the JAMS Website.

 

6. Miscellaneous.

  • McDonald's makes no representation that the online services are appropriate or available outside of the United States. If you use the online services from other locations you are responsible for compliance with applicable local laws.
  • These terms will be governed and interpreted pursuant to the laws of Illinois, notwithstanding any principles of conflicts of law.
  • Although these terms govern the online services as between McDonald’s and you only (and no other Members of the McDonald’s System are parties to these terms), all other Members of the McDonald’s System are third party beneficiaries under these terms and will have the right to enforce against you those rights that McDonald’s holds under these terms to the extent such terms may pertain to them; there are no other third beneficiaries under these terms.
  • The terms are written in English (US). Any translation of the terms into another language is provided solely for your convenience, and to the extent there is any conflict between the two, the English (US) version controls.
  • On termination of these terms or of your permission to use the online services, all rights granted to you under terms shall cease; however, these terms will continue to apply to your prior use of the online services and anything relating to or arising from such use. Upon termination, all rights of McDonald’s and other Members of the McDonald’s System, including all intellectual property rights, proprietary rights, and licenses in these terms shall survive, as well as all restrictions on use, all limitations on liability and disclaimers, and all of Section 6 (“How we settle disputes”)
  • Each of the terms and conditions in these terms are severable and operate separately. If any of them are unlawful, void or unenforceable, then the remaining terms and conditions will remain in full force and effect.
  • If McDonald’s fails to insist that you perform any of your obligations under these terms, or if McDonald’s does not enforce its rights against you, or delays in doing so, that will not mean that McDonald’s has waived its rights against you and will not mean that you do not have to comply with those obligations.
  • McDonald’s may transfer its rights and obligations under these terms to another organization or entity, but this will not affect your rights or our obligations under these terms. You may only transfer your rights or obligations under these terms to another person if McDonald’s agrees in writing.

 

7. Accessibility.

If you are a user with a disability, or an individual assisting a user with a disability, and have difficulty accessing or navigating our digital channels, please review our McDonald’s Accessibility page.

 

8. Contact Us.

If you have additional questions or comments, please contact us at www.mcdonalds.com/contact.