McDonald’s to offer free food to customers who ‘Pay with Lovin’

The Bee Gees asked the timeless question “How Deep Is Your Love” in 1977 and now McDonald’s has an answer: 100 free meals for random customers per store over the next two weeks.

McDonald’s announced the promotion in a minute-long Super Bowl ad posted to YouTube Friday, two days after McDonald’s chief executive stepped down after months of declining sales.

Chief Brand Officer Steve Easterbrook was appointed Wednesday by the company’s board to replace the retiring Don Thompson. Easterbrook was formally in charge of McDonald’s Europe operations and helped lead a re-branding effort that focused on the chain’s burger fundamentals.

The new free food promotion may be an attempt to put the tumultuous last few years behind them.

Starting Monday, the chain store will give away free meals to random customers who agree to “Pay with Lovin’”: From Feb. 2 until Feb. 14, the store will accept fists bumps, dances and calls to loved ones with heartfelt messages in lieu of capital.

The ad itself is kind of touching.

The deal, however, is kind of complex, so get a legal dictionary and try to keep up with the promotion’s 2,800-word-long set of arcane and kind of hilarious rules -- really, there is a spreadsheet involved and everything.

Customers who enter the store will be designated “unofficial” winners until they complete a “Lovin’ Act” such as dancing, subject to the discretion of the store manager, the “Lovin’ Lead” of course.

Hurry up to increase your chances of winning; individual stores will be giving out 35 meals the first day, 20 the next and then less then five per day for the duration of the contest except for Feb. 7. There will be 10 per store that day.

All 600 McDonald’s stores in SoCal should be participating, a McDonald’s spokesman said.

Twitter: @jpanzar