EXHIBIT 99.1

                     SIMON SETTLES LAWSUITS WITH MCDONALD'S


         LOS ANGELES, CA, AUGUST 19, 2003 - SIMON WORLDWIDE, INC., (OTC BB:
SWWI.PK) announced today that it entered into an agreement with McDonald's
Corporation to settle the pending litigation and all disputes between Simon and
McDonald's.

         The litigation, including lawsuits filed by McDonald's in both Federal
and state court in Illinois and by Simon in California state court, began in
October 2001 and relate to the business relationship between Simon and
McDonald's which included Simon's administration of promotional games offered to
McDonald's customers. The relationship was terminated by McDonald's in August
2001 as a result of the arrest of a former Simon employee who subsequently
pleaded guilty to embezzling winning pieces from the games.

         The agreement provides that settlement payments will not be made nor
will the mutual releases be final until the Effective Date of the Boland
Settlement, the settlement of numerous class and representative actions against
Simon, McDonald's and others relating to the promotional games. Although the
Boland Settlement has been approved by the court, its Effective Date is
contingent upon the resolution of certain appeals of the Boland Settlement and
of a case filed in California on behalf of California claimants which was
dismissed as barred by the Boland Settlement. There can be no assurance as to
when these conditions will be satisfied and the Boland Settlement and the
settlement with McDonald's will take effect, but the Company expects it could
take up to a year.

         Under the terms of the agreement with McDonald's, when the settlement
is effective McDonald's will pay $6.9 million to Simon and assign to Simon its
rights to certain insurance proceeds, which are expected to be approximately
$9.7 million, resulting in a total payment to Simon of approximately $16.6
million.

         This press release contains forward-looking statements (within the
meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995). These
statements include statements regarding intent, belief or current expectations
of the Company and its management. You are cautioned that any such
forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance and involve
risks and uncertainties that may cause the Company's actual results to differ
materially from the Company's expectations. Factors that could cause actual
results to differ materially are discussed in the Company's Amended Cautionary
Statement filed as Exhibit 99.1 to the Company's 2002 Annual Report of Form
10-K. Reference to this Cautionary Statement or Exhibit 99.1 in the context of a
forward-looking statement or statements shall be deemed to be a statement that
any one or more of these factors may cause actual results to differ materially
from those anticipated in such forward-looking statement or statements.