McDonald’s Arch Card® Terms and Conditions (USA)

Last updated: February 17, 2023

The following McDonald’s Arch Card Terms and Conditions (“Agreement”) describes the terms and conditions that apply to your purchase, acceptance, and use of any Arch Card. The Arch Card can come in two forms: (i) a physical Card; and (ii) an electronically transmitted eGift Card. In this Agreement, the term “Arch Card” may be used interchangeably to refer to both the physical version of the Card and the eGift Card, except where indicated otherwise.

Each Arch Card is issued by P2W, Inc., NFP (“P2W”). P2W is a trade association authorized to issue McDonald's gift cards and is responsible for the operation and maintenance of the McDonald's Arch Card program in the United States. P2W is the sole legal obligor to the cardholder. This Agreement is between you, the cardholder, and P2W. McDonald’s bears no responsibility or liability for the issuance of any Arch Card, and you hereby knowingly release McDonald’s from any and all liability or claims of any nature whatsoever arising in connection with your Arch Card. “McDonald’s” means, collectively, McDonald’s USA, LLC, its parent company, subsidiaries, affiliates, franchisees and the officers, directors and employees of each. P2W is not owned or controlled by McDonald’s.

By purchasing, accepting, or using your Arch Card, you agree to be bound by this Agreement, the P2W Arch Card Privacy Policy, and, as applicable, the Terms and Conditions for McDonald’s Online Services (USA). If you do not agree with this Agreement, the P2W Arch Card Privacy Policy, or the Terms and Conditions for McDonald’s Online Services (USA), do not purchase, accept, or use the Arch Card.

Important: This Agreement includes an arbitration agreement, jury and class action waivers, limitations of liability and other provisions that affect your legal rights.

You agree that P2W may provide notices, disclosures and amendments to this Agreement, and other information relating to your Arch Card by electronic means, including posting such materials online at www.mcdonalds.com.

About Your Card.

The Arch Card is a McDonald’s Gift Card that can be loaded with a dollar value and used to purchase goods and services at participating McDonald’s restaurants in the United States. The Card may not be used to purchase other Cards and is not redeemable for cash except as required by law. The Card balance never expires, nor are any fees charged in connection with its use. The Card is not a credit or debit card, and no credit card, overdraft protection, deposit account, or depository insurance is associated with it.

Purchasing Cards.

Cards may be purchased and loaded with USD$ denominations at participating McDonald’s restaurants in the U.S., online at McDonalds.com, and with other authorized third-party retailers. Cards are also available for bulk purchase through P2W and other authorized distribution partners.

No Refunds.

Cards are not refundable or redeemable for cash unless required by law. You may not return or cancel your Card after it is received. Certain authorized third-party retailers may support alternative refund policies, so check with the retailer from whom the card was purchased. P2W is not responsible for these alternative policies.

Balances.

You may check your balance online at the McDonald’s Arch Card Balance Website, by calling (877) 458-2200, or at participating McDonald’s restaurants in the United States. The balance you receive when inquiring through the website or over the telephone is an estimate only based on currently available transaction data. In most cases, the balance is adjusted immediately when you make a purchase, but there may be occasions when the balance adjustment is delayed. The McDonald’s Arch Card Balance Website is not hosted by McDonald’s or P2W. It is hosted by a third party. Neither McDonald’s nor P2W is responsible for the content provided by third-party sites.

There is a minimum and maximum amount that you may load on a Card at any given time and varies by purchase location. P2W may change any of these amounts at any time without notice to you.

No single individual may purchase Cards with a total value of more than $10,000.00 on any calendar day.

Reload.

The balance on physical McDonald’s Arch Cards is reloadable within the balance thresholds specified below. The balance on McDonald’s eGift Cards is not reloadable at this time.

You can reload physical McDonald’s Arch Cards at any time with cash, credit or debit cards at participating McDonald’s restaurants. You may also reload or set up automatic reloads with a credit card online, through the McDonald’s Arch Card Online Reload Website. The McDonald’s Arch Card Online Reload Website is not hosted by McDonald’s or P2W. It is hosted by a third party. Neither McDonald’s nor P2W is responsible for the content provided by third-party sites. Use of the McDonald’s Arch Card Online Reload Webiste and related services are subject to the McDonald’s Arch Card Online Reload Terms and Conditions.

To use the McDonald’s Arch Card Online Reload Website, you will need to create an Account through that site and provide a valid credit card.  Once you set up an Account, you can request a one-time reload in a fixed amount or an automatic reload in a fixed or variable amount on a fixed schedule, such as weekly, bi-weekly, monthly, or quarterly.  The minimum amount that you can reload onto your Arch Card at any one time is $10.  The maximum amount is $50.

By creating an Account, you are agreeing to provide and maintain complete and accurate information, and you are consenting to receive e-mails, texts, and other electronic messages from us relating to your account.  You are also authorizing your credit card issuer to effectuate payment for requested reloads and representing that you have right to do so.

By submitting an automatic reload request, you are authorizing P2W to bill your credit card on a continued, periodic basis, without a specified end date, until you change or suspend your request through your account.

Payments made through the McDonald’s Arch Card Online Reload Website will be processed directly by our third-party service provider, CTS Holdings, LLC.

Reloaded amounts are not refundable or redeemable for cash unless required by law.

Be sure to keep your activation and reload receipts; you will need them to replace a lost or stolen card.

You should also avoid disclosing your Account login information to anyone, as you are responsible for all activities associated with your Account, including any unauthorized use of that Account.

The maximum dollar value that can be associated with your Card at any given time will not exceed $110.00. The maximum value that can be associated with a Card on any calendar day, between beginning balance and reload activity, is $2,000.00. This means your balance at beginning of day plus loads cannot exceed $2,000.00 in one a day even if the balance at one time stays less than $2,000.00.

Use.

Your Card is redeemable only for purchases of goods and services at participating McDonald’s restaurants in the United States. It has no cash value and may not be redeemed for cash (except as required by law). Physical cards must be swiped for redemption. eGift Cards must be scanned for redemption. Neither the physical Cards nor eGift Cards can be redeemed for online orders at this time.

While most of the nearly 14,000 McDonald’s restaurant locations around the United States accept the Card for payment, P2W cannot guarantee acceptance at all restaurants. To verify acceptance, at a particular restaurant, ask the restaurant employee prior to placing your order or call ahead.

Your Card must be presented at the time of order.

Cards may not be resold without the prior consent of P2W.

Cards are not targeted towards, nor intended for use by, anyone under the age of 13. If you are between the ages of 13 and 18, you may only use your Arch Card under the supervision of a parent or legal guardian who agrees to be bound by this Agreement.

Expiration; Fraud.

Your Card does not expire. No inactivity, service or any other fees will be charged. However, P2W reserves the right to refuse to honor (and to cause participating McDonald’s restaurants to refuse to honor) any Arch Card in the event of a disputed credit card charge, dishonored check or if P2W reasonably believes the use is unauthorized or unlawful. P2W is not responsible for any unauthorized sale of preloaded Cards, nor is P2W responsible for any third-party fraud or unlawful activity associated with any Arch Card or Arch Card balance. If P2W discovers any Arch Card or Arch Card balance was sourced or derived through fraud or other unlawful or unauthorized means, P2W may, in its sole discretion, cancel all impacted Arch Cards and retain all related Arch Card balances without notice to you. P2W may use retained Arch Card balances to help offset its liability to card companies, networks and issuers of lost or stolen credit and debit cards used to purchase or load Cards.

Unauthorized Transactions/Lost, Damaged or Stolen Cards.

You are responsible for all transactions associated with your Card, whether authorized or unauthorized. You should, therefore, safeguard your Card and not disclose your Card information to anyone.

The remaining balance on lost, stolen or damaged cards will be replaced only if an original proof of purchase is provided for the purchase or reload. Call (800) 244-6227 immediately to freeze your Card balance. Then submit a request for replacement of a lost, stolen or damaged card via the Contact Us Form, along with your proof of purchase.

Neither P2W nor McDonald’s is responsible for any unauthorized use of your Card before your account balance is frozen. If you submit a proper request for replacement, a new Card will be issued to you in the amount remaining at the time your balance was frozen. Replacement Cards may be issued as an eGift Card at P2W’s discretion.

Bulk Purchases.

There are unique requirements and restrictions on the use of Arch Cards by businesses. Please refer to the Corporate Order Terms & Conditions for details.

P2W Does Not Operate Any Restaurants.

Most McDonald’s restaurants are owned and operated by independent franchisees of McDonald’s and some are operated by McDonald’s subsidiaries (such franchisees and subsidiaries are together, “restaurants”). Each restaurant is solely and independently responsible for its legal and regulatory compliance, for any issues relating to the supply of the products to you, and for any employment related matters in the restaurant.  P2W does not own or operate any restaurants. It is a trade association responsible for the operation and maintenance of the McDonald's Arch Card program in the United States.

Important: Mandatory Binding Individual Arbitration.

Please read this section carefully. It affects legal rights that you may otherwise have and requires individual final and binding arbitration of most disputes instead of resolution in court.

Arbitration is the submission of a dispute to a neutral arbitrator, instead of a judge or jury, for a final and binding decision, known as an “award.” Arbitration provides for more limited discovery than in court, is subject to limited review by courts, and the result is confidential. Each party has an opportunity to present evidence to the arbitrator in writing or through witnesses. An arbitrator can only award the same damages and relief that a court can award under the law and must honor the terms and conditions in this Agreement.

Except as may be required by law, neither a party nor an arbitrator may disclose the existence, content, or results of any arbitration hereunder without the prior written consent of both.

Important: Arbitration Agreement, Class Action Waiver and Punitive Damages Waiver.

You agree that:

1. any claim or dispute (whether in contract, tort, or otherwise) you may have with P2W, McDonald’s or any McDonald’s restaurant arising from or related to this Agreement or your use of a McDonald’s Arch Card 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 P2W hereby waive the right to assert claims in any class or representative action; arbitration will therefore only decide the individual claims of you and P2W (and/or McDonald’s or McDonald’s restaurant, as applicable); 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 P2W (and/or McDonald’s or McDonald’s restaurant, as applicable) under this provision;
7. you and P2W 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, P2W 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, P2W 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 P2W 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 P2W 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 P2W 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.

Important: Limitation of Liability.

Important: P2W and its affiliates make no warranties, express or implied, with respect to your McDonald’s Arch Card including, without limitation, any express or implied warranty or merchantability or fitness for a particular purpose. In the event that your Arch Card is non-functional, your sole remedy, and P2W’s sole liability, shall be the replacement of such Arch Card. Certain state laws do not allow limitations on implied warranties or the exclusion or limitation of certain damages. If these laws apply to you, some or all of the above disclaimers, exclusions, or limitations may not apply to you. Unless prohibited by law, you and P2W agree to limit claims for damages or other monetary relief against each other to direct and actual damages and that neither you nor P2W will seek any indirect, special, consequential, treble, or punitive damages from the other.

Choice of Law.

The laws of the State of Illinois, United States of America, without regard to principles of conflict of laws, apply to this Agreement and use of your McDonald’s Arch Card. If any part of this Agreement is unlawful, void, or unenforceable, that part will be deemed severable and will not affect the validity and enforceability of any remaining provisions.

Changes to Agreement.

P2W reserves the right to change this Agreement from time to time in its discretion, which changes P2W may provide to you by any reasonable means, including without limitation, by posting the revised version of this Agreement at P2W Arch Card® Privacy Policy page (“Updated Terms”). Your use of your Arch Card after P2W has posted the Updated Terms constitutes your agreement to the Updated Terms. The Updated Terms will be effective as of the time of posting, or such later date as may be specified in the Updated Terms and will apply to your use of your Arch Card from that point forward.

Questions

If you have any questions about the Arch Card program, you can contact us through our toll-free customer service number, (800) 244-6227 or send an email to Arch Card Questions.