We may have been defrauded at the pub quiz tonight.

[It_s_Not_Rocket_Surgery]

My wife and I played trivia at a new venue tonight. We won, and should have received a trip to Vegas as our prize. But we didn’t.

The following is the email that I sent to the manager of the trivia league, with identifying data removed:
**Dear xxxxxx:

We played the inaugural game tonight at <restaurant>. Justin did an excellent job as host. However, we had a major issue with the prizes.

This is the mini poster as shown on the Last Call website: (redacted)
Also, if you click on the game schedule, under “details” for <restaurant> the following is posted:

xxx address
town
xxx.555.1212

*The first place winner on Restaurant’s debut trivia show on 10/16 will win a trip for 2 to Las Vegas, Nevada (airfare and hotel)!!! *

$10 Domestic Buckets, $15 Import Buckets

It is clear from the two items posted on the Last Call website that first prize tonight was a trip to Las Vegas. However, that was not the case.

Before the game, Justin announced that the game prizes were $35 for first place and $15 for second place. He also stated that there would be a drawing for the Las Vegas trip, and that anyone who had a dinner check over $25 could enter a drawing for the Las Vegas trip by writing their name and number on the back of their dinner check. It was never announced as to when, or even if, the drawing would take place. I was confused by the complete change from what was posted on the Last Call site; however, I did not discuss this with either Justin or the management at <restaurant> because I thought there was a chance I was remembering the website incorrectly (although, as it turns out, my recollection was accurate).

We played, and won, tonight’s game. Now that I have had the opportunity to determine that the prize rules are not at all what was posted on the Last Call site, I would like to give you the opportunity to investigate the situation while we weigh our options over what course of action to follow.

Please contact me at your earliest convenience at (xxx) 123-4567 so we can discuss this matter further.**

If the Last Call management is unwilling to step in and award us the trip, what do you all suggest we do?

[Alice_The_Goon]

Are there any official rules written out anywhere? Maybe you could have a talk with an attorney about it- do they still give free consultations?

[Joey_P]

Well, the first thing I would tell you to do is get a screen shot of the poster (with the web address) so if they take it down, you still have it.

If it were me…I’d probably just drop it after I get some lame email about how it was a misprint of something. I might send off a couple more emails just because I was pissed about it, but I probably wouldn’t expect anything. I mean, honestly, unless this was at some major chain (like a Friday’s) I really wouldn’t be expecting a trip to Vegas after winning a few rounds of bar trivia.

[Joey_P]

I just looked at the poster, it sure looks like you should have won the trip, so I’m not really sure what your recourse is. You might try calling the bar as well and speaking to the owner. Make sure they are aware of the problem as well. They might not want to re-hire a trivia company that lies to the patrons like that…I wouldn’t go back after that.

[It_s_Not_Rocket_Surgery]

@Joey_P

I just looked at the poster, it sure looks like you should have won the trip, so I’m not really sure what your recourse is. You might try calling the bar as well and speaking to the owner. Make sure they are aware of the problem as well. They might not want to re-hire a trivia company that lies to the patrons like that…I wouldn’t go back after that.

We play a lot. Usually the prizes are the responsibility of the bar running that night’s game. At this point I don’t know who is responsible for the change in awarding the prize. I won’t talk to the bar until I speak to the recipient of the email.

[It_s_Not_Rocket_Surgery]

Update: I heard from the recipient of the email. She was just as surprised as we were that the trip hadn’t been awarded. Since I knew her before this incident and she is very credible, I believe her. She is contacting the restaurant manager (as I suspected, the prize was to be supplied by the restaurant) and we’ll see what he has to say.

[Cat_Whisperer]

{Sing-song voice} You got them in trou-ble, you got them in trou-ble…{/SSV}

Good for you.

[Enderw24]

Well I’d have been wary about any bar that begins its phone number with “555”

Seriously, now that you’ve apparently got someone on your side, things are looking a lot better. I’d suggest giving a call to your state’s Secretary of State’s office and seeing what rights you have under a false advertising claim, should you wish to pursue that route.

[It_s_Not_Rocket_Surgery]

@Enderw24

Well I’d have been wary about any bar that begins its phone number with “555”

Seriously, now that you’ve apparently got someone on your side, things are looking a lot better. I’d suggest giving a call to your state’s Secretary of State’s office and seeing what rights you have under a false advertising claim, should you wish to pursue that route.

I will check that out. I also have a friend who also plays this trivia and is a lawyer. I’ll see what he thinks.

[DMark]

Be careful - if they get pissed, they might give you a trip to Las Vegas, New Mexico (hey, we never said Nevada!).

Seriously though, that is a bit of a rip off and best wishes for getting the “real” prize!

BTW, is it true or Urban Legend about the club that verbally offered a Toyota to the best waitress at a club after a month to see who sold the most drinks? One woman won and they took her to the parking lot and presented her with a “toy Yoda” doll?

[Lare]

I’m looking forward to seeing how this plays out. I think they owe you the trip.

@DMark

BTW, is it true or Urban Legend about the club that verbally offered a Toyota to the best waitress at a club after a month to see who sold the most drinks? One woman won and they took her to the parking lot and presented her with a “toy Yoda” doll?

Apparently true. From Snopes:

…a waitress at a Hooters restaurant in Panama City, Florida, was able to wring the value of the prize she had thought she’d won out of the company that had pulled what it described as an April Fools’ joke. In 2001, 26-year-old Jodee Berry had bested the other servers at her restaurant in a competition to see who could sell the most beer in a month to that eatery’s customers, with the winner to receive a new Toyota. When the day came for her to be presented with her prize, Berry was led blindfolded to the restaurant’s parking lot to receive her award, but when the blindfold came off she was devastated to learn that the promised jackpot was not a Toyota automobile but rather a toy Yoda, a Star Wars doll. She quit her job and sued Gulf Coast Wings, Inc., the corporate owner of the restaurant, alleging breach of contract and fraudulent misrepresentation. In 2002 the suit was settled for an undisclosed amount of money, which one of the attorneys involved in the case said would enable her to go to the local car dealership and “pick out whatever type of Toyota she wants.”

Snopes link: Contest Pranks Gone Wrong | Snopes.com

[Joey_P]

@DMark

Be careful - if they get pissed, they might give you a trip to Las Vegas, New Mexico (hey, we never said Nevada!).

Seriously though, that is a bit of a rip off and best wishes for getting the “real” prize!

I saw the poster, it was phrased exactly like it is in the OP.

[Cheesesteak]

One thing that, I think, can give you a problem is that the host clearly identified the revised prizes prior to beginning the game. I would not expect that you played the game assuming you would get a prize different than the one the host identified.

You may not have shown up for a $35 first prize, but that’s a different level of harm than getting $35 for winning when you expected a trip to Vegas. You could have walked out the door and gone home, before the game started, if you didn’t want to accept the changed prize.

[kayaker]

Personally, I would point out that I was pissed off and would share my experience with everyone I know. The threat of negative publicity may force their hand.

[It_s_Not_Rocket_Surgery]

@Cheesesteak

One thing that, I think, can give you a problem is that the host clearly identified the revised prizes prior to beginning the game. I would not expect that you played the game assuming you would get a prize different than the one the host identified.

You may not have shown up for a $35 first prize, but that’s a different level of harm than getting $35 for winning when you expected a trip to Vegas. You could have walked out the door and gone home, before the game started, if you didn’t want to accept the changed prize.

I agree that this could be a problem. However, if we had left, our chances of winning the trip would drop all the way to 0. No matter what, they did not honor their advertisements - even in the unlikely circumstance that they actually awarded the trip via random drawing.

[Vihaga]

@It_s_Not_Rocket_Surgery

I agree that this could be a problem. However, if we had left, our chances of winning the trip would drop all the way to 0. No matter what, they did not honor their advertisements - even in the unlikely circumstance that they actually awarded the trip via random drawing.

Your best shot is probably the league manager putting some pressure on them. They obviously don’t want bars putting up fake prizes to get people in the door, then pulling some bait-and-switch crap once they’re there.

[smiling_bandit]

I wanted to bump this out of curiosity.

[Little_Nemo]

Old thread, but my guess is the management probably had it arranged so the trivia contest was defined as a qualifying round. Having the high score in that contest won you the $35 prize and a chance in the drawing for the First Prize trip to Vegas.

[It_s_Not_Rocket_Surgery]

We never got the trip. When the trivia company person contacted them, they said they had the tickets for us, but they were “lost in the office”. Funnily, they never turned up, and the venue quickly got rid of the trivia game.

I spoke to a friend who is a lawyer, and he said there was not a whole lot of recourse short of Small Claims Court. We had no time to go further, and sort of gave up. Probably not the best ending, but I don’t think the restaurant is around anymore.

[dnooman]

Take them to small claims court. At the worst you’re out $20 or $50. At best, you get a judgement and they’re on the hook for the vacation they promised. Screw those shysters.