Sandwich deal gone bad?

In My Humble Opinion
1

Not long ago, Quiznos decided to give away free sandwiches. The deal was: buy a soda and chips, and a sandwich was free. Such a deal! A delicious lunch in downtown San Francisco for $2.47! Needless to say, their shops were mobbed.

The free sandwich coupons were available on the web, so everyone in line was clutching a print of the page. Some pople didn’t even bother clipping the coupon and just had the whole page. At the counter, they just tossed the things into baskets, rather than trying to stuff them into the register. Apparently, Quiznos didn’t think it out too well - When all of downtown hears about a deal, pretty much everyone is going to find you and take advantage. Especially when you don’t have to find a coupon in the Sunday paper, buy six to get one free, or anything like that. Just click on the link your helpful friends and co-workers have emailed to you. The “legitimate” way to get the coupon involved starting at www.quiznos.com and finding it from there, but the coupon itself was at a static address that was readily and frequently copied and publicized.

The coupons I printed earlier are good through the end of the month. I went there today, to find memos posted all over the place that they were no longer accepting the coupons for free sandwiches, but were instead taking them for $2.00 off a combo. In effect, reversing the deal - before it was a free sandwich when you bought a combo, now it’s the soda and chips for free.

I didn’t care much - Instead of $4-5 off, it’s $2 off. Some people did care and turned around and left as soon as they read the memo. These people were probably going there for the first time. This wasn’t my first time, and wasn’t going to be chased away just because lunch costs a couple bucks more than anticipated. Quiznos’ wrappers have more flavor than Subway’s pressed turkey-based products, so they’ve got me for life just for that.

The question is - how badly is Quiznos going to hurt itself for not accepting the coupons as originally published? I suppose they can wriggle out of any apparent obligation by having said “at participating locations” on the coupon, then announcing non-participation. They’ve also changed the web coupon - it now expires on the 10th, but there’s no shortage of coupons with a July 31 expiration popping out of printers and copiers. Either way, the promotion was originally supposed to run for three more weeks, they’re probably going to annoy a lot of people.

All I can say is: I hope the frenzy dies down so it doesn’t take ten minutes just to get to the register.

2

You know, I could have sworn I saw a thread about this - although perhaps not about Quizno’s in particular. Coulda sworn.

I bet that as long as they have new coupons and have notices posted that explain the situation, most people won’t mind. There will always be some who get all huffy and demand to get their $4-5 off. And the smart manager might acquiesce to the loudest of them.

3

Mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm, Quiznos.

Drool
I doubt they’ll be hurt by the screw up very much.

Mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm, Quiznos.

4

[aside]

Just how good are their sandwiches, compared to Subway or Togo’s? I find the latter two to be rather meager performers in the sandwich making department. Does Quizno’s actually use real Mayonnaise or just the ubiquitous Miracle Whip™ trash?

[/aside]

5

Zenster -

I went to Quizno’s once, so I am not sure if my memory serves me right, but the answer is neither. If you wanted a mayo type product, you had to use a packaged one (Kraft, I think).

They run their sandwiches through a ‘toaster’ and IMO, are as dry as a bone.

I am also not a fan of ‘hot’ (or heated) sandwiches, so I would rate Togo’s above Quizno’s by a long shot.

6

They don’t use all that much mayo, oddly enough. They’re more into various special sauces appropriate to the particular sandwich. Honey-mustard, ranch dressing, red wine vinaigrette, and so on.

I haven’t asked, but I’d imagine they use a decent mayo. I generally avoid the stuff in any form. The other ingredients are a notch or two above what Subway’s using - can’t think they’d blow it with lousy condiments.

7

My roommate and I have already indulged in the coupon offer twice.

IMO, by changing the deal, Quizno’s will lose the customers who are using the coupons to try their sandwiches without paying a lot to do so. Me, for example. I’d only been to Quizno’s once before, and having been turned off by the weirdo sauce on the Black Angus sandwich, I wasn’t keen on having another sandwich from them… at least not at full price. With a big discount was pretty much the only way I’d be willing to try another Quizno’s sub. So had I gone to Quizno’s and learned that the terms of the coupon had changed, I’d probably 1) have left without buying anything, and 2) decide to not go back ever again. Why? Because I think it’s a bad PR move to take back deals that way. The way I see it, if you put the coupon out, you have to live with it. Didn’t think it through? Underestimated the demand and profit loss? Too bad. Learn from your mistakes. You make it the customer’s loss when you renege on an offer, and if you want to stay in business, you should never, ever do that.

Once the promotion’s over, I probably won’t go back to Quizno’s. I’m not impressed by the sandwiches-- I never bought into the “toasted is better” claim. Their idea of a meatball sub is a couple meatball slices, ferchrissakes.

I am so glad we have a Togo’s down the street.

8

I printed out a couple of the coupons last week, I will take it downstairs at lunchtime and see if they are accepted. I can call it research!
The sacrifices I make for you Dopers :slight_smile: