McDonald's Promo Proves Costly In Ontario Amid Raptors Success

McDonald's is "out more than two million medium size orders of french fries," nearly "three times the 700,000 orders the company projected" after negotiating a sponsorship deal with the Raptors to give away free french fries in Ontario every time the team made 12 3-pointers, according to Jake Edmiston of the FINANCIAL POST. The deal was struck just 18 days before the team acquired F Kawhi Leonard. McDonald's Senior Marketing Manager-Eastern Canada Chuck Coolen said that they "based the forecast model, in part, on a previous fry giveaway program" with the Canadiens, figuring the Raptors were "likely to hit at least 12 three-pointers in about half of the 82 games in the regular season." But the 3-point threshold was "reached 44 times in the regular season and another 10 -- so far -- in a much longer playoff run," equaling "two million free orders -- at an average menu price of $2.89" -- for a total of C$5.8M worth of fries. Ontario McDonald's owner Mike Forman said that the upside of the deal is it "attracts customers, who have to download and use the McDonald’s app to redeem their fries, which are only available the day after a Raptors game" (FINANCIALPOST.com, 6/7). In DC, Matt Bonesteel wrote under the header, "Thanks To The Raptors, Ontario Is Awash In Free McDonald's Fries." Bonesteel: "It seemed like a good idea at the time" (WASHINGTONPOST.com, 6/7).