Super Bowl ad: McDonald’s to accept hugs, selfies as payment for some meals

Would you be willing to sing for your supper? What about do a silly dance, give a hug or blow a kiss? If so, McDonald’s may just hand you your Big Mac and fries gratis, starting next week.

Starting Monday and continuing through Feb. 14, randomly selected customers will get the option to “Pay With Lovin’ ” instead of cash. They can call up someone on their cellphones and say “I love you,” do a “silly dance” in the store, send a selfie, give a high five or a “big family hug,” or, apparently, do whatever the cashier (aka “Lovin’ Lead”) deems to be an expression of “lovin’ ” — “subject to Lovin’ Lead’s reasonable discretion and completed to Lovin’ Lead’s reasonable satisfaction,” according to the McDonald’s website.

There are a few catches, of course. Customers will only be notified that they have been chosen for the Lovin’ option after they have placed their order, and they can’t add any items after they’ve been selected – so no “But I meant to order a McFlurry, too.”

The option will be offered only between 6 a.m. and 6 p.m., and only 100 times per restaurant over the two-week period. The winners will be chosen at “random, predetermined times,” according to the company’s website. Although we’re not sure what “random predetermined” means.

McDonald’s estimates the approximate retail value of the “prize” to be $5.60.

How can you subtly let the cashier know you’re lookin’ for the “Lovin’ ” payment option? Perhaps by giving a knowing look or a meaningful wink — or you could always squeal, “Pick me! Pick me!”

The promotion is explained, sort of, during McDonald’s Super Bowl ad, which reportedly cost the fast-food giant $4.5 million to air.

This comes on the heels of the company’s firing its longtime chief executive, Don Thompson, last week amid slumping sales.

The ad doesn’t say whether you can reject the “Lovin’ ” option if you’re a misanthrope who just wants to pay your freakin’ $4.31 and get out of there.