McDonald’s first used the Monopoly game as a restaurant promotion in the United States in 1987.
The promotion adapted the property-trading board game into a sweepstakes-style campaign. Customers received game pieces with qualifying food purchases and could collect matching properties or reveal instant prizes. This turned packaging into a highly visible part of McDonald’s promotional branding.
The promotion became one of the chain’s best-known recurring marketing events. Its appeal came from combining a familiar game theme with the possibility of winning food, merchandise, or larger prizes. Versions later appeared in other countries, with rules and prize structures varying by market.
The McDonald’s promotion is distinct from the original Monopoly board game, which was first published by Parker Brothers in 1935. It is also separate from the Happy Meal, introduced in the United States in 1979.