McDonald's USA 03/06/2003 Press Releases

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McDonald's® is Back in the Game

Games Advisory Board Approves New Promotional Game Security Protocols

OAK BROOK, Ill. (March 6, 2003) – McDonald's Corporation today announced that it has completed a thorough review of its promotional game security procedures and, in conjunction with a blue ribbon panel of advisors, has developed new game security protocols to protect and ensure the integrity of its promotional games.

“We know our customers enjoy playing the promotional games we have developed over the years,” said Neil Golden, vice president, U.S. Marketing for McDonald's. “With the new security protocols that our Games Advisory Board has endorsed, we can ensure that McDonald's customers will have a fair chance to win exciting and fun prizes when they visit our restaurants.”

In conjunction with the Games Advisory Board, McDonald's developed three guiding principles to follow for its promotional games:

• There is no longer a single party overseeing game security.
• A new technique has been developed whereby independent auditors can authenticate McDonald's game pieces.
• There will be a random rotation of supplier roles from each game promotion to the next.

The Games Advisory Board is comprised of the following former high-ranking government and legal officials:

• Dan Webb, former U.S. Attorney of Illinois and board chairman.
• Lynn Martin, former Labor Secretary under President George Bush.
• Eric Holder, former Deputy Attorney General under Janet Reno.
• Jodie Bernstein, former Director of Consumer Protection for the Federal Trade Commission.

“I am impressed with McDonald's extensive efforts to enhance the security of its games,” said Dan Webb, former U.S. Attorney of Illinois and Games Advisory Board chairman. “We believe that the games security protocol is a comprehensive and effective set of security processes that will protect against threats to the security of McDonald's promotional games.”

McDonald's formed the Games Advisory Board in Fall 2001 to conduct a thorough review of security procedures prior to introducing another promotional game for customers. The board's purpose was to “ensure the security and thereby the integrity of McDonald's promotional games and contests by raising to an even higher level McDonald's standards with respect to the development, production and execution of games and contests.”

McDonald's newest promotional game, called “Winning Time^TM,” begins March 25 at participating restaurants nationwide. In a world where people are constantly on the go, Winning Time will help customers savor their time by giving them the chance to win a variety of outstanding prizes including cash, personal services, luxury cars and special times with celebrities. All prizes can be won by obtaining a winning game piece rather than obtaining a winning collection of game pieces. Game pieces are bilingual and will be attached to Big Mac^® sandwich, Quarter Pounder^® with Cheese sandwich, medium, large or Super Size^® French Fries, hash browns or 32 or 42 ounce drink packaging.

The Marketing Store, Oak Brook, is managing the Winning Time game for McDonald's.

McDonald's is the world's leading foodservice retailer, with more than 30,000 restaurants serving over 46 million people each day in 118 countries. Approximately 80 percent of McDonald's U.S. restaurants are owned and operated by independent local businessmen and women.