Is Mcdonald's Wi-fi Really Free?

I'm going sailing tomorrow and between Miami and Melbourne where I chose go sailing, I passed no less than 36 McDonald's
Restaurants. Some of them displayed signs stating "Free Wi-fi with any purchase," but most of the McDonald's Restaurants displayed just the yellow and black, "police tape-like" banners that said, "wi-fi." So, I got the urge to see what the Free Wi-fi was all about and stopped at all the McDonald's along the way.

My first McDonald's stop was in Miami and even though they had a sign stating "Free Wi-fi with any purchase," they had wi-fi, but it wasn't free. It wasn't free, because they had no "Complimentary Internet Access Coupons." It seems that they had run out and hadn't ordered any replacement wi-fi coupons.  No problem, because there were so many more McDonald's along the way.  I traveled for another 8 miles and stopped at the next McDonald's and they too had wi-fi, but no wi-fi coupons.  No problem once again.  I'll try the next McDonald's on my travels North.

On my third stop at McDonald's, I was told that they no longer order the wi-fi coupons and that I would have use a credit card instead to get on the Internet.  Well, that defeats the whole purpose of free and they even had the "Free Wi-fi with any purchase" sign outside too!  Feeling somewhat betrayed, I reluctantly stopped at the fourth McDonald's and even though they didn't have the "Free Wi-fi with any purchase" sign posted any where, they had the "Complimentary Internet Access" coupons.  I ordered a large iced Hazelnut coffee for $1.99 and they gave me a free wi-fi coupon.  I felt for a moment that all the stops that I had made earlier had been vindicated.

I slipped out the door with my wi-fi coupon and continued North to the next McDonald's along my route and behold, they had no free wi-fi coupons.  Something about they ordered some, but they hadn't come in yet.  So, off to the next McDonald's and yes, another free wi-fi coupon with a purchase of two side salads for a buck each.  Things were looking up and I sat down to finish the side salads, looking at the late Paul Neuman's face on the packages of salad dressings.

Ten hours later, I arrived in Melbourne prepared to go sailing tomorrow and from the 36 McDonald's I visited along the way, I manage to get 12 Complimentary Internet Access coupons, and yes, I purchased something for each coupon.  I didn't always purchase food though, but I did purchase more than 7 McDonald's gift cards and put the minimum of $5.00 on each one to use at a later date for food or Internet access, instead of my credit card.

Here's is what I have come to understand about McDonald's Free Wi-fi, based on the 36 McDonald's Restaurants that I stopped at.  Of the 36 stops at McDonald's, more than 8 times, the cashier didn't have a clue what I was talking about, when I asked, "Do you have any wi-fi coupons?"  The answer was often, "No, we don't have any coupons."  So, I would repeat the question, "Do you have any wi-fi coupons?"  Emphasizing the word "wi-fi" in the hopes of discerning between any of type of coupon that McDonald's may have that I'm not aware of.  Most of the cashier's wouldn't even go and ask their shift leader or manager, but simply reply, "No, we don't have any coupons."  It was like, it was a bit shameful for them to admit, that maybe didn't understand the question, or simply didn't know what wi-fi was.  I don't know, but I didn't press the issue, because I could see that some of the cashier's were clearly upset at my persistence with the question, so I left it alone and left the store.

No less than 4 of the McDonald's that I stopped at, the cashier told me that I would have to use my credit card to use their Internet, even though they had a sign posted on their window for anyone passing by, "Free Wi-fi with any purchase."  I always ask about the Free Wi-fi before I make a purchase, for fear of feeling slighted.  Well, I had heard that I could purchase this Free Wi-fi, with my credit card, so I launch the browser on my Netbook (an Acer Aspire One) and got my Google home page.  It wasn't until I tried to go to another web page, that the McDonald's home screen presented itself.

Once on McDonald's home screen, up at the top is the "Connection Options."  Clicking on the "Connection Options," takes you to another McDonald's page with several payment options:

"Credit Card, Coupon, Employees, etc.."  If, you're fortunate enough to have a "Complimentary Internet Access" coupon, click on "Coupon."  The "Coupon" option works for McDonald's Gift Card's also.  To see exactly what it would cost to actually purchase wi-fi, I clicked on the "Credit Card" option and it took me to another McDonald's page that asked me for my credit card number, first and last name, e-mail address and billing information.  Oh yes, it also had the price at $2.99 for two hours of Internet access.  I pressed the submit button and it charged my credit card, $3.14.  You have to give the government their tax too!

Once connected, the wi-fi is 802.11g (54.0 Mbps) and the connection is excellent throughout the interior of the building.  I didn't test the wi-fi signal outside of McDonald's, although maybe I should have, for those who like the comfort of their vehicles while surfing the Net.  I was quite pleased with the signal and speed and the best part, there were no disconnects, unlike some fast food places that offer free wi-fi.  I spent the two hours doing what most surfers do and that is read the newspapers online and jump from one hyperlink to the next until the McDonald's curtain came down on me.  It seems when you're two hours is up, there is no warning or little box anywhere that tells you how much time you have used.  So, as a tip to those considering using McDonald's Free wi-fi, when you log on, write down the time you logged on and keep a tab of that somewhere where you can peak at it, or set your cell phone alarm to give yourself time to save anything you may be working on or close any programs that you may have open, because when your two hours is up, yep this red, McDonald's home screen pops down like a curtain and hides the web page you're on.  Even though getting a Free Wi-fi coupon from McDonald's may be hit or miss, when you finally do get one, it says on the coupon that the coupon is good for one connection of up to one hour.  The reality is, yep, the coupon is only good for one connection, but it will give you exactly two hours of Internet use.  You don't have to be in a hurry to use them either.  I generally use the really free wi-fi places like the library and use McDonald's wi-fi when I'm traveling or when I need to work really late at night.  Yes, some of the McDonald's have 24-hour lobbies and 24-hour drive-ins.   The "Complimentary Internet Access coupons are generally valid until February or March of 2009.  Until next time, happy surfing.