The Internet is common about the fact that some customers of the McDonald’s fast -fast restaurant network issue a special card that allows you not to pay for the ordered food. We decided to check if this is so.

Information about gold cards can be found on sitesdedicated to this network of fast food, and in collections facts O McDonald’s. They are mentioned on entertainment And Information portals, as well resources About life in the USA. Flogue users write about cards ("Picabu" Livejournal) and social networks (for example, "VKontakte"). Visitors sites questions and answers are interested in how you can become the owner of such a card.

One of the first to publicly demonstrate the McDonald’s gold card was American actor Rob Lowe, who I boasted She at the Jimmy Kimmel show in 2015. Judging by the data indicated on the map, she gave the artist the right to free meals in the restaurants of the network in Santa Barbara and Golet for a year. Law said that he received her thanks to his many years of friendship with Herbu Petersen, the creator of McMaffin and one of those who stood at the origins of McDonald’s. Since Petersen died back in 2008, it can be assumed that the actor is issued a new card every year.

However, in the media publications on gold cards appeared earlier. For example, in 2008 in possession of such a card admitted American billionaire Warren Buffett - he told about this in an interview with CNBC. The investor also stated that the creator of Microsoft Bill Gates has a gold card, and, unlike a buffet map, which is valid only in the city of Omaha, Gates can use his world.

American politician Mitt Romny toldthat his father had the same global card - her George Romny gave her Ray Crok, one of the founders of McDonald’s. Moreover, company representatives say that Krok was distinguished by generosity and distributed a lot of such cards in his life, but who exactly and for what reason is not specified.

It happened that the card was handed not only to the acquaintances of the company's owners and billionaires, but also to ordinary people - for special merits. In 2013 received A resident of the American Cleveland Charles Ramsey, who saved three women, who for several years were forcibly held by the kidnapper. In an interview, he toldthat after buying a lunch at McDonald’s returned home to eat a burger, and, sitting in the living room, he heard a scream for help from a neighboring house. The man ran out into the street "with half -eaten Bigmak", helped the girl’s abducted girl and call the police. In social networks, a whole campaign in support of RamSI turned then, users called on the restaurant network to provide the hero with lifelong free meals. As a result, the press secretary of the McDonald’s said that Ramsey will give a card that will allow him to eat for a year for free in all restaurants of the network, after that free service will continue, but only in Restaurants of Ohio.

In recent years, the company has been holding the draws of such cards among visitors to the network restaurants, the last Passed In the USA in December 2022. Then, in order to get a prize, it was necessary to make purchases through the McDonald’s application. Judging by media reports, restaurant Spended Such draws earlier, for example, in 2018, however, the rules were stricter then: the winner’s card operated only 50 years and gave the right to one visit a day. Similar promotion She took place in 2022 in the UK: there were 1000 gold cards that giving the right to one free lunch a week during the year in British network restaurants. Probably, McDonald’s branches in different countries independently decide whether such draws are conducting in their restaurants.

Apparently, such promotions are not often held, but celebrities manage to get a cherished card in countries where cards do not play - however, in a slightly different performance. So, the German rapper Kay One in 2018 told In his social networks, which became the owner of not the gold, but the Black Card of the Client, which also gave him the right to eat for free in his favorite restaurant. However, at that time the performer just participated in advertising campaign McDonald’s, so a post with a story about a black card could just be a marketing course.

Thus, the McDonald’s gold card, which gives the right to free food in the restaurants of this fast food network, really exists. Judging by the stories of its owners and reports in the media, some of them are operating around the world, while others are only in certain regions. There are few reports that there are similar cards in other countries, for example, in Germany and Great Britain. However, these cards are quite rare, and they are mainly owned by celebrities. In recent years, any visitor to McDonald’s can become the owner of the card, winning the draws that the fast -power restaurants network conducts, however, they are far from in all countries.

Photo on the cover: screenshot from Jimmy Kimmel Live, ABC