What Is the McDonald’s McGold Card?

Imagine a world where you’d never have to hand over your credit card or part with a crisp $20 bill in the McDonald’s drive-thru again. Now take it one step further and picture what it would be like if all those late-night fry runs, Diet Coke breaks, and road trip Big Macs were bankrolled by Ronald McDonald himself. While that may sound like a fairy tale, it’s reality for a select few McGold Card holders.

This coveted pass grants just a few people — who are usually billionaires — a lifetime of complimentary McDonald’s meals. Warren Buffet has previously gone on the record about his own pass, while Bill Gates recently shared details of his legendary card. 

Here’s everything you need to know about what the McGold Card is and who has access to one.

What is a McDonald’s McGold Card? 

The rumored McGold Card is one of the most elusive secrets in the McDonald’s universe, but there are a few details we’ve gained access to in recent years. (And if information supplied by McDonald’s on Reddit is to be believed, rumors of the McGold Card have been circulating for at least four decades.) 

The terms will vary by person, but the card generally gives the pass holder an unlimited amount of McDonald’s orders for a set time or within a certain geographic location. As its name implies, this is indeed a physical card with a metallic, gold finish.

The chain is aware of the lore that's whispered about the card and the interest it’s drummed up among fans. In late 2022, McDonald’s teased a handful of McGold Cards as the prize for a limited-time holiday promotion. While some storied McGold Cards are rumored to provide unlimited amounts of McDonald’s, this promotion's prizes granted two free meals a week for 50 years. 

“Our fans have been fascinated by the lore of the McGold Card and if it really exists. And now we’ll make this McDonald’s legend a reality for our fans by giving them the ultimate holiday gift,” Tariq Hassan, McDonald’s USA chief marketing and customer experience officer, said in the brand’s announcement.

We reached out to McDonald's for more details on the real McGold Cards, but the brand has not yet responded to a request for comment. Perhaps this is part of the efforts to develop even more mystery around the fabled item.

Who holds a McDonald’s McGold Card? 

It’s not clear exactly how many McGold Cards are currently in circulation, but we’d imagine this is a select group. At least three people have confirmed they own a coveted card: Warren Buffet, Bill Gates, and Rob Lowe. 

Buffet has verified his ownership of an unlimited card that allows him to dine for free at any McDonald's in his hometown of Omaha, Nebraska, for the rest of his life. In a 2007 interview with CNBC, the billionaire investor revealed that he kept the pass in his wallet. At the time, Buffet also said that former President Bill Clinton likely doesn’t hold a card himself but “wanted one very badly.” 

A few years later in 2015, actor Rob Lowe divulged his own card, which expired after one year, on the set of Jimmy Kimmel Live! 

Although he has previously confirmed that he has a McGold Card, Microsoft co-founder and billionaire Bill Gates shared even more details in a video with content creator and chef Nick DiGiovanni this January, including a peek at the card itself. In contrast to his fellow card holders, Gates can use his wherever and whenever he wants.

“I tend not to use it, since I can afford to buy the food,” Gates explains in the video. “I’m a quarter pounder with cheese kind of guy.” 

Besides these wealthy individuals — who as Gates points out can afford McDonald’s with or without the card — a few other people have reportedly been offered rewards similar to the McGold Card thanks to their altruistic actions. In 2013, the fast food chain offered a year’s worth of free burgers to an Ohio man who saved three women from a kidnapping, but it’s unclear if this deal came with a shiny card.

One thing is certain: The McGold Card does exist, albeit only in the world of a select few. For now we can simply dream of a day where we might wield the coveted prize for ourselves.