As an iconic global fast-food chain, McDonald’s has become synonymous with convenience, affordability, and quick-service dining.
Whether it’s a craving for their classic Big Mac or those perfectly golden, crispy fries, millions of customers flock to their golden arches daily.
Yet, amidst the hustle and bustle of fast-food transactions, the topic of using larger denominations at McDonald’s often sparks curiosity and confusion.
Will the cashier readily accept your crisp fifty or hundred-dollar bill when you’re craving that juicy Quarter Pounder with Cheese and a refreshing McFlurry?
If you’ve ever wondered whether your Benjamin Franklins or Ulysses S. Grants are welcome at the golden arches, keep reading as we uncover the facts about using $50 and $100 bills at McDonald’s!
We’ll cover whether you can use them in-store, on the app, at the drive-thru and using the self-service machines.
Can You Pay At McDonald’s With $50 and $100 Bills: Short Answer
The short answer is that, yes, you can generally pay with $50 and $100 bills at Mcdonald’s subject to some exceptions below.
When Can You Not Use $50 and $100 Bills at McDonald’s?
We have only come across it a handful of times, but $50 and $100 bills are sometimes turned down and rejected if the cashier doesn’t have the correct change in the cash register.
This is quite rare in our experience as McDonald’s usually has enough cash to give you your change, so they can generally accept $50 and $100 bills without issue.
Do McDonald’s Self-Service Kiosks Accept $50 and $100 bills?
The self-service kiosks now present in many McDonald’s stores don’t generally accept cash, which obviously includes $50 and $100 bills.
This has presented a problem for many McDonald’s customers as around 40% still prefer to pay for their food with cash.
However, in 2019 some McDonald’s restaurants did start providing self-service kiosks that do accept cash, although they are not widely available.
It’s probably worth giving your local McDonald’s a call if you intend to use cash at one of these kiosks to see if they have these newly improved machines installed.
Can You Use Cash With the McDonald’s App?
You can’t use cash with the McDonald’s app.
The McDonald’s app only accepts credit cards, debit cards, and Apple Pay.
Does McDonald’s Drive-Thru Accept $50 and $100 Bills?
Yes, McDonald’s does generally accept $50 and $100 bills at its drive-thru.
This comes with the same caveat as above, that it depends whether the cashier has sufficient change in the cash register but this is hardly ever a problem in our experience.
Ways Other Than Cash To Pay At McDonald’s?
If you’ve not got cash, then there’s no need to fret.
You can still get your BigMac fix!
There are numerous ways you can pay for your food at McDonald’s including:
- Credit or Debit Card including American Express (in-store, kiosk, drive-thru and on the app)
- Google Pay (in-store, kiosk, drive-thru)
- Apple Pay (in-store, kiosk, drive-thru and online app)
- McDonald’s gift card (in-store and drive-thru)
Unfortunately, McDonald’s doesn’t accept checks, nor does it accept PayPal directly.
Should You Use Cash At McDonald’s?
Cash is still used by 40% of customers at McDonald’s so it’s still well supported.
However, our preference is to use Android or Apple Pay where possible.
We find electronic wallets are much more secure, easy to use and you can keep track of your expenses much easier using them.
While cash still has its place, it is a little behind the times, and electronic wallets or using contactless debit cards provide much more convenience.
Bottom Line
In summary, $50 and $100 bills are widely accepted at McDonald’s and you should be able to use one at pretty much all restaurants.
If you are unlucky enough to be in a situation where the cashier doesn’t have enough change to accept one, then there are still plenty of other ways you can pay.
We hope this answered your query but if you feel there’s anything we haven’t answered, then please let us know in the comments section.
Related Post:
Does Subway, Starbucks, Burger King, Taco Bell, KFC, Wendy’s etc.. Accept $50 and $100 Bills?
