From Feb. 2 through Feb. 14, McDonald’s restaurants across America are randomly selecting customers to pay with something different than cash in their Pay with Lovin’ campaign.
McDonald’s launched the Pay with Lovin’ campaign following their first Super Bowl commercial in eight years. McDonald’s did not want to spend the money on a commercial and not create a buzz, according to Natalie Ghidotti, of Ghidotti Communications and representative for the McDonald’s of Central Arkansas.
“McDonald’s is in a unique position to bring a little more lovin’ to our customers,” Chief Marketing Officer Deborah Wahl said on the McDonald’s website. “We’re on a journey to change the relationship and conversation and Pay with Lovin’ is a direct way for us to engage with our customers. We believe that a little more lovin’ can change a lot.”
Once select customers have completed their orders and presented their payment, the employee will give the customer the option to pay for his or her order with an act of lovin’ instead.
“When there is so much negativity in the world, McDonald’s wants to change some of that negative to positive,” said David Stokes, president of McDonald’s of Central Arkansas.
Stokes said this campaign has been a great success so far and they have had great responses. Some examples of things customers are asked to pay with include calling a friend or family member to remind them you love them, giving the cashier a fist bump, dancing with someone or even group singing.
The Pied Pipers, a children’s theater troupe, was asked to do just that. On their way to Kentucky for a children’s show, the Pied Pipers stopped in Blytheville, Ark. to grab lunch. At the end of their order the cashier told them they were selected to be Pay with Lovin’ participants.
“The cashier asked us if we could carry a tune,” said junior Jon Andrew, member of the Pied Pipers. “To which we said, ‘Haha, yeah!'”
Stokes described another instance when a woman was randomly selected to give a hug to another person in the restaurant. She chose to give her hug to an older man who was alone, and he started crying.
“It doesn’t take anything out of the ordinary to be special, just giving someone your time and truly meaning it,” Stokes said.
