You are reading

McDonald’s Offering Free Meals to Healthcare Workers and First Responders

(Sepet, Unsplash)

April 23, 2020 By Michael Dorgan

McDonald’s restaurants are offering free meals to healthcare workers and first responders as a token of appreciation for their efforts during COVID-19.

The fast-food chain is dishing out one free meal per day to medical staff, police officers and firefighters at its stores in Queens and across the country up until May 5. The company began rolling out the new offer Wednesday.

The “Thank You Meals” will be available during breakfast, lunch or dinner–and will feature a sandwich, drink, and a side dish, the company said in a statement Monday.

Meals will be served in a McDonald’s Happy Meal box, and a note of appreciation will replace the regular kid’s toy.

The company said it hoped the move would bring a smile to the faces of frontline workers who are selflessly putting their lives in harm’s way through the pandemic

“As local business owners, we know that our communities need us now more than ever, and we’re committed to continuing to serve them,” Katie Hunt-Rotolo, a local franchise owner/operator and president of the McDonald’s New York Metro Owner/Operator Association said.

The company said that each meal will be available at no charge via drive-thru or carry out at participating McDonald’s restaurants. Workers only need to show a badge or be in uniform to redeem a free meal.

Healthcare workers and first responders can choose from an Egg McMuffin, Chicken McGriddles or a Bacon, Egg and Cheese Biscuit for breakfast.

All options come with a soft drink of any size, tea or hot coffee and a hash brown.

A Double Cheeseburger, six-piece Chicken McNuggets or a Filet-O-Fish will be available on the lunch and dinner menus, and all options come with a soft drink of any size, tea or hot coffee and a small fries.

Dr. William Jaquis, President of the American College of Emergency Physicians, said that the free hot meals are a welcome break for frontline workers who are risking their lives each day.

“Emergency physicians and other health care workers on the frontlines are spending hours a day on their feet, often missing meals in their efforts to care for their patients,” Jaquis said.

McDonald’s said that nearly all of its restaurants have remained open during the COVID-19 shutdown and the company has implemented almost 50 new safety measures to ensure the safety of all its employees.

email the author: news@queenspost.com
No comments yet

Leave a Comment
Reply to this Comment

All comments are subject to moderation before being posted.

This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.

Recent News

Street co-naming in Briarwood honors legacy of Jack ‘Giacomo’ Virdone, longtime pizzeria owner and community advocate

Apr. 21, 2025 By Ramy Mahmoud and QNS News Team

In a heartfelt tribute to a beloved neighborhood figure, city officials, family members and community leaders gathered Saturday, April 19, to co-name the intersection of Queens Boulevard and 84th Drive in Briarwood after the late Jack “Giacomo” Virdone, the longtime owner of Alba’s Pizzeria and a pillar of the local community.

Cannabis van shut down near Jewish school and park in Elmhurst, three arrested: DA

Three people were taken into custody for operating an illegal mobile cannabis dispensary on Woodhaven Boulevard underneath the Long Island Expressway near the playground at Hoffman Park and the Jewish Institute of Queens school in Elmhurst in response to community complaints, Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz announced Monday.

The van had been operating in Rego Park and Elmhurst in recent weeks, and detectives from the DA’s office conducted a series of undercover purchases at the van. The NYPD and the New York City Sheriff’s Office executed a court-authorized search warrant on Wednesday, April 16.