I requested a copy of my data from McDonald’s loyalty program
Points and comments are a snapshot, not live.
A WIRED reporter received a 515-page dossier from McDonald's detailing his purchases and predictive analytics.
Reece Rogers requested his data from McDonald's loyalty program under California law. The 515-page file included detailed transaction history, predictive models estimating he would visit 2.16 times in six weeks, spend $13.49 per order, and have zero attrition likelihood. McDonald's ranked his top product as Large Diet Coke and categorized his habits as "Food-Led Afternoon Snack" and "On the Go Lunch in a Rush." Privacy experts called the data collection standard for US loyalty programs but highlighted a power imbalance favoring companies.
What commenters are saying
Many commenters found the data unsurprising, noting it reflects standard marketing practices like customer lifetime value algorithms and purchase history. One camp argued the concern is misplaced: the real risk is data leaving silos, e.g., being sold to insurers or data brokers. A second camp emphasized that such tracking is normalized but still troubling when used outside the original context. Some noted the article lacked shocking revelations, expecting details like location tracking or family inferences.