McDonald's giving away free fries for National Fry Day July 13 and has a free fries for life contest

• McDonald's MyMcDonalds Rewards program is officially here. Get a freebie after your first purchase.
• McDonald's renamed National French Fry Day as World Famous Fan Day and will give away free fries.
• McDonald's will give one fan free fries "for life" or 50 years through its World Famous Fan contest.
• Wendy's is giving away free burgers Thursday, July 8 through its Wendy's Rewards program.

McDonald's is renaming a popular deal day to celebrate the nationwide launch of its new loyalty program.

The fast-food chain has changed July 13 from National French Fry Day, aka National Fry Day or Fry Day, to World Famous Fan Day.

But McDonald's restaurants will still ring in Tuesday with free fries for members of the MyMcDonalds Rewards program, which officially launched nationwide Thursday. Other restaurant chains are expected to continue calling the made-up food holiday Fry Day.

The Golden Arches also is hosting a “World Famous Fan” contest where 66 fans will win 1 million MyMcDonald’s Rewards points and one fan will win free fries for life, a prize valued at $19,685.

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Alycia Mason, McDonald's USA vice president of digital customer experience and media, said in a statement that the chain has the "best fans in the world who deserve to unlock perks for their loyalty.”

"We’re eager to repay years of fandom by giving them what they love most about McDonald’s — our delicious food — for years to come,” Mason said of the loyalty program and World Famous Fan Day.

Free fries for World Famous Fan Day

To get the free fries Tuesday, you need to download the McDonald’s app, opt-in to MyMcDonald’s Rewards and add the deal for medium fries to your cart.

McDonald's rewards program and free food, deals

Other fast-food chains have also rolled out loyalty programs and apps and McDonald's has been offering savings on its app for years, including offers for free food.

With McDonald's updated app and new MyMcDonald’s Rewards, you'll earn a freebie after you make your first purchase now through Dec. 31.

After your first purchase, you’ll automatically get 1,500 points, which is enough points to get a free item in the first tier on your next order and choice of an order of hash browns, vanilla cone, a McChicken or a free cheeseburger.

Users also will get 100 points for every dollar spent on qualifying purchases. You can order ahead on the McDonald's app or scan a code in restaurants and at the drive-thru to earn points.

The McDonald's app will continue to have mobile deals such as coupons.

Free fries for life contest

This is not the first time McDonald's has given a prize that lasts "for life." 

In August 2018, McDonald's had a contest for a McGold card that gave one winner two free meals a week for 50 years. The prize was valued at $52,350.

The World Famous Fan contest kicks off July 13 on World Famous Fan Day and goes through July 20, according to the contest rules posted at MyMcDonaldsFanContest.com.

The grand prize winner of the Twitter contest will win two medium fries per week for 50 years, according to the fine print. The prize value of $19,685 includes $5,905 that the winner can use for taxes or at his or her discretion, the rules say.

There will be 66 regional winners who will each get 1 million rewards points, given in four deposits of 250,000 points over two years. These winners will also get $250 for taxes. The total prize value is $950.

To enter the contest, fans need to share in a tweet why they're the most loyal McDonald's fan. Real super fans will judge the contest, the chain said.

"Your Tweet must tag @McDonalds and include the hashtags #MyMcDonaldsFanContest and a hashtag made up solely of your 2-letter postal abbreviation for your state of residence (e.g., #IL, #NY)," the contest rules state.

Learn more at MyMcDonaldsFanContest.com.

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