McDonald's recently joined the ‘location' bandwagon, partnering with location-based social networking site Foursquare to increase check-ins at its outlets around the US. Foursquare is an app that enables registered users to ‘check-in' at locations via GPS to find their friends. Fast-food chains, bookstores, retail outlets and so on can track traffic via the app, and offer special prizes to those checking-in.

On Foursquare Day (16 April 2010), McDonald's announced that it would be handing out 100 gift-cards, of $5 and $10, to 100 randomly-selected visitors who checked-in at any McDonald's outlet.  

Last week, the fast food giant reported a 33% increase in check-ins (not footfalls) across the States, thanks to their Foursquare deal. For a company that spends millions of dollars on advertising and marketing in the States alone, this successful location-based marketing promotion---that cost them all of $1,000---is a big blow in favour of social network-marketing over traditional marketing.  

Domino's UK announced a 29% increase in profits thanks to its social-based marketing efforts that included a tie-up with Foursquare. Last year, Foursquare was also part of a social media plan that got one million customers to visit Starbucks outlets in a around the US in just one day.