McDonald’s Canada Speaks to the Tech Community with Hidden Offers in Lines of Code

Developers, who are often so focused on coding that they forget to eat, will love the new McDonald’s Canada initiative developed in partnership with Cossette. Eat the Code centres on a clever promotional website hiding offers in lines of code that allow its finders to order their favourite items without having to step away from their computer. 

The tech community continues to grow in Quebec, which is home to numerous video game studios, thousands of industry experts and a ton of tech enthusiasts. McDonald’s Canada created this promotional website to interact and have some fun with these creative spirits, all while tempting their taste buds during their well-deserved breaks.

“We wanted to tip our hats to the tech community by speaking its language and diving into its world,” explained Richard Rochette-Villeneuve, creative director at Cossette. “This virtual treasure hunt was made for developers, but it was designed so everyone can participate.”

On top of looking for offer codes, McDonald’s fans throughout Quebec will be pleased to find other surprises hidden in the code. For example, if they type “raining burgers” into the website, they’ll see burgers fall from the top of the screen, and if they type “i’m lovin’ it,” they’ll hear the iconic McDonald’s jingle. Users can also have fun entering common commands like “LS,” which would typically list all the files contained within a site, but instead will show the complete list of ingredients in McDonald’s Canada menu items. And, for the cherry on top of the McFlurry, new offers will be released every three days during the first two weeks of June and can be claimed on DoorDash.

“This is the first time we’ve ever spoken directly to developers in Quebec,” said Suzanne Grondin, marketing manager for McDonald’s Canada in Quebec. “We're thrilled to connect with this important community and spoil them with exciting surprises through a website designed especially for them.”

In addition to a strong online presence, this campaign also includes digital signage where McDonald’s Canada products are illustrated in binary code, using 1s and 0s. These posters have been strategically placed near tech hubs and contain an actual message that only the smartest—or the most determined—will manage to decipher. As well, content will be rolled out through influencer marketing and on social media.