I opened the McDonald’s app this morning and felt a little rush of excitement. The long-awaited Genshin Impact collaboration is officially live as of today, September 17, and honestly, it’s about time. After all those leaks and teasers featuring Beidou and Kazuha in casual wear (someone at HoYoverse, please let that Kazuha outfit become a skin), we can finally dive into the event and grab some exclusive rewards.

The event runs now through September 29, 2026 in the United States only, and having already gone through the hoops myself, I’m here to walk you through exactly how it works – including the fine print that tripped up so many players on day one.

What’s on the menu?

This isn’t your typical redemption code handout. You have to order specific items via the McDonald’s app, and before you ask – yes, delivery counts, but you’ll pay a little extra. The collaboration is built around two purchases, each unlocking a different reward tier.

• Genshin Impact Apple Pie ($1.69)

Buy this through the app and you’ll get a code for:

• 40 Primogems

• The Golden Apple Pastry recipe (yes, you can cook it in-game)

• 3x Golden Apple Pastry food items

• 20,000 Mora

• 4x Mystic Enhancement Ore

• 2x Hero’s Wit

• Genshin Impact Deluxe McCrispy™ Meal ($9.28)

Purchase this and you’ll unlock the real showpieces:

• “Wings of Delicacies” wind glider – finally a new glider that actually matches some of my characters

• “Celebration: Crispy and Sweet” namecard – perfect for flexing on your co-op friends

Note: local prices may vary, but my total for pickup was about $11 before tax. And here’s a crucial detail I almost missed: the Deluxe McCrispy Meal already includes an apple pie, but that pie does NOT count toward the Apple Pie reward. To get everything, you must purchase an additional Genshin Impact Apple Pie separately. It’s a bit cheeky, but at least you get more food out of it.

The official trailer shows Beidou and Kazuha hanging out with those gorgeous outfits I’ll never own. A Traveler can dream.

“Where are my codes?” – The big day-one hiccup

As soon as the collab went live, my Twitter feed and co-op chat lit up with players saying they hadn’t received their redemption codes. I was one of them for a good two hours. The official Genshin Impact social accounts posted a notice: “We are currently working diligently to resend the redemption codes.” So if you purchased early and got nothing, don’t panic – check your email patiently, and maybe give it a few hours before contacting support.

Why did this happen? From what I can gather, the main culprit is that many people skipped a mandatory step: opting into email and rewards before purchase. Yes, even if you’ve used the app for years, you need to toggle that setting. If you’re new, it pops up during sign-up, but for existing accounts you’ll find it under your profile settings. There’s even a shortcut in the Genshin Impact event banner – Kazuha himself calls it out (how considerate). Double-check this, or you’ll end up with a bag of fries and no glider.

Here’s exactly how the in-app banners look. You’ll spot the collab under the “Menu” or “Trending” bar on the home page, or right at the top of the main Order menu.

Step-by-step guide to get all rewards (without losing your mind)

After helping three friends troubleshoot, I’ve boiled it down to a foolproof checklist:

Are the rewards worth it?

For less than $12, you’re getting a limited-edition glider that may never return, a namecard that screams “I was there in 2026,” and enough Primogems to nudge a 4-star pity. Let’s be real – the 40 Primogems aren’t game-changing, but they’re a nice bonus, and the Golden Apple Pastry recipe is actually a decent food item (restores 26% of max HP to a character and 450 HP every 5 seconds for 30 seconds). Plus, how often do you get to enjoy real-world apple pie while your character bakes a virtual one?

If you’re free-to-play but still on the fence, consider this: the glider alone is a trophy. I’ve already seen players in co-op proudly showing it off, and honestly, it looks crisp. The namecard’s color scheme pairs exceptionally well with Electro characters, which feels like a nod to Beidou.

What if your codes still don’t arrive?

First, wait. The resend process is ongoing, and many players (including myself) got their codes after a delay. If nothing shows up in 24 hours, open a support ticket through the McDonald’s app and provide your order details. Genshin Impact’s customer service can’t give you new codes – only McDonald’s can – so don’t waste time messaging HoYoverse.

One last thing: the collab ends September 29, but you can hold onto your codes until October 29. Stock up on pies now if you want to gift codes to friends, but remember each purchase is tied to the app account that made it, and sharing codes is technically fine as long as they aren’t sold.

I’ll be happily gliding around Teyvat with my new Wings of Delicacies, probably while munching a real apple pie. Did you manage to snag yours yet? If you’re still stuck, ask away – I’ve become an accidental expert on this collab over the past few hours.