McDonald’s is introducing its own currency. Sort of.
The company this week unveiled the “MacCoin,” a “limited edition global currency” that is “backed” by the chain’s signature sandwich, the Big Mac.
Beginning on Thursday, the company will give customers who purchase a Big Mac a special edition coin that they can use to get a free Big Mac at restaurants around the world as soon as Friday and running through the end of the year.
The company has distributed more than 6.2 million of these coins to more than 50 countries worldwide.
The coins come in five different designs to highlight the 50th anniversary of the Big Mac, invented by franchisee Jim Delligatti and added to the company’s menu in 1968.
Each of the five coins highlights a different decade, such as flower power in the 1970s, pop art in the 1980s, abstract shapes for the 1990s, technology for the 2000s and communication for the 2010s.
The seven languages featured across the designs represent many of the countries participating, including Arabic, English, Indonesian, Mandarin, Portuguese, French and Spanish.
“We wanted a global celebration as unique as the burger itself,” Steve Easterbrook, McDonald’s CEO, said in a statement. “The MacCoin transcends currencies to commemorate our global iconic burger while giving customers all over the world a chance to enjoy a Big Mac on us.”
McDonald’s in its release notes that the MacCoin has no actual cash value and is redeemable for only one Big Mac at participating restaurants through the end of the year.
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