McDonald’s Corp.’s long-awaited U.S. loyalty program is arriving next month, marking a key step in the fast-food giant’s push to digitize.

The chain, which has been testing the program in a handful of markets for months, will roll it out nationwide on July 8, it said in a statement. Customers will need to access the McDonald’s app to collect points and freebies.

Investors have been waiting for a McDonald’s U.S. loyalty program to rival Starbucks Corp.’s popular one for years, beyond the McCafe digital punch card already available. An app-based program will encourage those customers whose transactions are now mostly offline to interact digitally with the burger giant, resulting in a more personalized, data-driven experience.

McDonald’s shares were up 0.1 per cent to US$233.20 at 9:36 a.m. in New York. The stock has gained 8.5 per cent this year through Monday, compared with 12 per cent for the S&P 500 index.