McDonald’s Monopoly Is Back After 10 Years — And I’m Lovin’ It

So just when I think I’m out… they pull me back in.

McDonald’s is once again running their Monopoly game — something they haven’t done in ten years! And just like that, I’m back in line at the golden arches.

Back in the day, I was going to eat breakfast at McDonald’s most mornings anyway. But when the Monopoly game rolled around? Oh, that changed everything. I’d head straight inside, grab one of those big paper game boards printed on the back of the placemats, and start peeling those little stickers off my Egg McMuffin wrappers, hash brown sleeves, and drink cups like a man on a mission.

No, I never hit the million-dollar jackpot (still waiting, Ronald), but I did rack up my fair share of free burgers, fries, cookies, and pies. There was something electric about it — that mix of caffeine, breakfast grease, and the faint hope you might pull Park Place. It became a whole vibe I looked forward to every year.

And really, what’s not to love? You’re entertained, there’s something fun to do, and there’s always that shot at winning money or prizes. It’s not exactly a retirement plan, but it’s fun to dream for a minute or two. Like they say — you’ve got to be in it to win it.

But here’s the twist: I was never a huge Monopoly fan as a kid.

I mean, I am and I’m not. It’s a great slice of Americana, and the concept makes sense. But as a shy, well-behaved little kid who loved board games, I made the mistake of joining a family game once when my aunts, uncles, and cousins were all gathered at my grandma’s house.

I was just excited to roll the dice, move my little pewter dog around the board, and flip those colorful cards that showed Mr. Monopoly floating out of jail with angel wings or suddenly striking it rich. I wasn’t out to crush anyone — I just wanted to play.

So when I landed on Boardwalk, which my uncle owned, and had to hand over every last pretend dollar while everyone laughed at how “broke” I was, it crushed my little six-year-old heart. I don’t think I ever played Monopoly again after age nine or ten.

Still, I admired the game. I just chose not to play it. So when it got paired with my love for McDonald’s? All bets were off.

Which brings me to now. I don’t need to eat McDonald’s every day — or even every week. But let’s be real, I can always justify grabbing a coffee and an Egg McMuffin on the way to work. It’s practically the healthiest fast-food breakfast sandwich out there — full of protein and actual nutrients (especially if you skip the cheese).

But like I’ve said before, I know myself. If they run out of promotional cups, you might not get game pieces with your drink. They used to be well stocked on the sandwich wrappers that had them, but I’m not sure if that’s still a thing. One sure bet, though, was always the hash brown wrapper — that’s where I could always count on getting a game piece.

These days, though, I usually skip the hash browns. Fried starches are a bad combo for anyone, but especially for someone my age. Same goes for fries — I’d rather have an extra burger than pummel my arteries with a salty pile of regret.

So maybe I’ll do a couple full meals over the next month, maybe find a slower McDonald’s location that’s still stocked with all the special cups and wrappers. I don’t know how far I’ll go with it this year — maybe I’ll just play once or twice for old time’s sake, just to bring back that feeling that meant so much over the years.

McDonald’s has really been hitting on all cylinders lately with the retro vibes, and I, for one, am loving it.

Ba da ba ba ba.

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Update..

After writing this post early this morning, I couldn’t resist — I stopped by McDonald’s and ended up winning on every single game piece I pulled! I scored 3,000 reward points that I uploaded straight to my app, plus a free food item. 

There are a couple caveat's however. In the past whenever you pulled your game piece tab there were two little tickets. This has now been changed to only one play piece. This means if you were big on filling up your playboard with properties like I used to be, it's going to take considerably longer to do so. 

Also, everything I won is redeemable through the app. Not exactly the same feel as back in the day, but I understand that things change, and you must admit that things have changed an awful lot in 10 years.

So yes, McDonald’s, you’ve officially hooked me for at least a few more visits… so ’ll be back soon.