At the end of the day, who doesn’t love a drive thru? They are easy, quick, and absolutely delicious. But it doesn’t end there. Many of your favorite chain restaurants and fast food spots have reward programs that make choosing between the drive thru and those leftovers in the freezer that much easier. Most of them work by rewarding you with points based on how much you spend. You can redeem those points for other menu items, and sometimes, you get access to special deals and discounts. But not all reward systems are built the same. Here’s a list of 15 chain restaurant rewards program ranked from best to worst and how much you have to spend for those extra special deals. The best programs use the least amount of points to get free items, and the worst programs just give discounts on those items.
1. McDonald’s
$1 spent = 100 points
1,500 points = McChicken
Who doesn’t love a free Big Mac? With McDonald’s rewards program you earn 100 points every time you spend a dollar on eligible products. After only $15, or 1,500 points, you have a chance to get a free McChicken, cheeseburger, or hash browns. To sweeten the deal, 3,000 points will get you a free caramel iced coffee, medium fries, or a six-piece McNugget meal.
The chain also offers a series of extra delicious deals throughout the day that don’t require any points at all. With the McDonald’s app, you can get a free large fries with a minimum of a $1 dollar purchase. Not only are you saving your points, but you’re earning at least 100 points too. Check out this article for how to get free fries on Fridays with the McDonald’s app.
2. Chipotle
$1 spent = 10 points
1,250 points = Free meal
With Chipotle rewards, you get 10 points for every dollar you spend. In order to get a free meal, you need to accumulate 1,250 points. While it might seem like a lot, Chipotle offers weekly bonuses, which allows you to earn double or even triple the amount of points when ordering certain menu items. In the Chipotle app, there is an entire section dedicated to your points called Rewards Exchange. You can redeem points for certain menu items for free, check how many points you have, and find out how you can earn points faster. You can use these points by either ordering in the app or scanning your app code at checkout.
3. Chick-fil-A
$1 spent = 10 points
200 points = Ice cream
Like Chipotle, every dollar spent at Chick-fil-A gets you 10 points in rewards. Once you hit 200 points, or $20 dollars, then you are eligible for some freebies, like an ice cream cone. After $40 dollars, or 400 points, you can get a free medium fries with Chick-fil-a sauce.
Unlike many other reward programs, Chick-fil-A offers a tiered membership. These tiers are known as the One Member, Silver Member, Red Member, and Signature Member. You can achieve these different membership tiers by collecting 10,000 points and above. You can be a Signature Member after you spend $1,000 dollars at Chick-fil-A.
4. Taco Bell
$1 spent = 10 points
250 = Cheesy Fiesta Potatoes
With just 250 points, you are eligible for some free Cheesy Fiesta Potatoes. Every dollar you spend at Taco Bell, you get 10 points in rewards, like many other programs. After just $25 dollars, you are eligible for Fiesta Potatoes, a bean burrito, or a medium fountain drink.
Like Chick-fil-A, Taco Bell requires you to unlock different tiers. Once you unlock the Fire Tier, after just 2,000 points, you can earn 11 points for every dollar instead of 10 points.
5. Starbucks
$1 spent = 1 star
100 stars = Free tea
Need a little pick-me-up? Stop by Starbucks for a cup of free coffee or a refresher. Earn one star for every dollar spent either by scanning your app barcode at checkout or by ordering in the app. With just 25 stars, you can customize your drink with a free extra pump of syrup or extra shot of espresso. Have 100 points? Get a free tea or cookie. After 400 points, or $400, you can earn some free merchandise, like cups and shirts.
6. Dunkin’
$1 spent = 10 points
150 points = 3 Munchkins
Dunkin’ offers a free medium-sized drink of choice just for signing up for its rewards program. Unlike many of the tiered programs, you can start using deals immediately with Dunkin’s rewards program. Every dollar spent, you get one point closer to a free drink, plus amazing deals like monthly opportunities to earn 12 points per dollar instead of the regular 10. Dunkin’ also offers free goodies on your birthday, plus three times the amount of points on any additional birthday purchases. The chain also has a special extra deal for every day of the week. Mobile Monday lets you earn 100 points for just ordering on the app. Tuesday gets you $1 off six donuts or 25 munchkins. You can even collect different badges to unlock extra special items.
7. Popeyes
$1 spent = 10 points
200 points = 2 free biscuits
Love that chicken from Popeyes? Then, its rewards program has you covered. Get a free item like a small drink, cinnamon apple pie, or regular fries with a minimum purchase of $5 for signing up. Every dollar gets you 10 points. A $20 purchase will get you two free biscuits. A $30 purchase will get you free fries, and a $60 purchase will get you a free chicken sandwich.
8. Wendy’s
$1 spent = 10 points
200 points = Jr. Bacon Cheeseburger
Wendy’s rewards make it extra easy for customers to get the best deals, whether in the restaurant, the drive thru, or even at home waiting for delivery. Earn 10 points for every dollar spent at your local Wendy’s. After spending just $20 dollars and earning 200 points, you are eligible for a free Jr. Bacon Cheeseburger, a 4-piece chicken nugget, or even Seasoned Breakfast Potatoes.
9. Dairy Queen
$1 spent = 10 points
150 points = Side of fries
Ready for some dessert? Dairy Queen offers all kinds of rewards, from points, to coupons, to even holiday exclusives. By downloading the app, you can scan your free membership barcode in store locations or even redeem points through the app. Every dollar you spend gets you 10 points. After just $15 dollars, you can get awesome sides for french fries for free. For 250 points, or $25 dollars later, you can get a free Blizzard of your choice. And if you’re feeling really adventurous, 2500 points, or $250, can get you a free ice cream cake.
10. iHop
$5 spent = 1 Pancoin
3 Pancoins = 3 pancakes
Want a sit down meal while also earning points? iHop has since introduced its reward program, The Bank of Pancakes. The program is simple. Every $5 you spend will get you one Pancoin to use on rewards. While it doesn’t seem like a lot, just three Pancoins will get a short stack of three pancakes, five Pancoins will get you a fullstack, and 12 will get you a whole burger meal, fries and all. Earning Pancoins is easy. Scan your receipt in the store, use points on mobile orders, or even have your waitress scan your app at checkout.
11. KFC
$1 spent = 10 points
300 points = Spicy Chicken Sandwich
Who doesn’t love a bucket of chicken? KFC’s reward program might seem normal. Spend a dollar and earn 10 points. But with enough points, you can access something only members can: The Secret Recipe Vault. This gives you access to exclusive deals and sends you text message notifications about any and all discount updates.
12. Burger King
$1 spent = 10 crowns
250 crowns = Cheeseburger
With the Royal Perks Loyalty Program, instead of points, you have the opportunity to earn crowns. Every dollar spent earns you 10 crowns. After 250 crowns, or $25, you can get a free cheeseburger, or ice cream. After 400 crowns, or $40, you can get a free quarter pounder, free cinnamon French toast sticks with syrup, or free chocolate mousse cheesecake. And after 750 crowns, or $75, get yourself a free Oreo milkshake or a croissant breakfast sandwich.
13. Panera Bread
Sign up = Free pastry
With fall rolling around, Panera Bread is a cozy choice for lunch or dinner. But did you know you can get points for digging into that bread bowl or bagel? MyPanera, its reward program, gives you a free treat like a pastry or bagel for just signing up. MyPanera makes it really easy to earn points by either using the app when ordering or inserting your phone number at checkout. While its program doesn’t earn you points, each purchase unlocks a new deal or discount. Maybe the next meal you’ll get a free side of soup or salad and some bread too. MyPanera also offers great discounts on delivery fees and still counts them towards your next deal.
14. Sonic
Sign up = 50% large drink
Sonic might not offer a points system, but they do have a fantastic deals system. Sonic offers new deals every single day, ranging from $50 percent off large drinks, a Quarter Pound Double Cheeseburger for only $1.99, and other exclusive deals. These deals can be redeemed in the app by just downloading and signing up. You can also get sent these deals right to your phone through its text message system.
15. Baskin-Robbins
Sign up = 31% off
Not into Blizzards? Head on over to Baskin-Robbins for a sweet, creamy scoop. Baskin-Robbins has a new deal happening this year. When you sign up for the app, you get 31% off your item on every 31st of the month to celebrate 31 years of Baskin-Robbins. Additionally, get a free scoop on your birthday and other exclusive deals throughout the month. While Baskin-Robbins doesn’t have a point system, you don’t have to spend anything to start using its deals after signing up. But unlike a traditional coupon, you can track your deals in the app, pin your favorite orders, and even get immediate updates on the newest deals.