Beginning Tuesday and running through September 29, you can grab a free coffee from participating Mickey D’s all over America during breakfast hours (until 10:30 a.m. – no matter what Michael Douglas says).
Why the free coffee? 3 reasons mostly…
- Taco Bell has made a move on Ronald McDonald’s breakfast territory
- To divert attention from the company’s awful August sales numbers
- A dumb marketing plan as explained by Time:
With a two-week giveaway in the fall, a few weeks after the new school year started—when mornings for families and students still feel exceptionally hectic and harried—McDonald’s is likely seeking to position itself as a quick and convenient habit that’ll help you get your day started a little easier. The idea is to give out lots of free coffee now, with the goal being that 1) customers will buy breakfast when they’re picking up free coffee; and 2) customers will keep coming back for breakfast and coffee (and perhaps lunch and dinner, too) long after the freebie promotion is over.
It just might work – although McDonald’s will then soon find out how quickly habits change once people have to pay for shitty coffee again on September 30.
