var json_comments = new Array("
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Thorny
April 1, 2009 2:02 AM
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Oh the frenzy that a simple extra parameter in their database might have prevented! Status: ON or OFF. LOL>

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Changed my name to \"I like potatoes\"
April 1, 2009 1:00 PM
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@Thorny: Not human error - it's was the NOID. Avoid the noid. What the hell did that mean, anyway???

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T Axel Jones
April 1, 2009 3:05 PM
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@changed my name: I think the Noid used to ruin your pizza on the way to being delivered. Domino's pizza delivery people were so amazing that even the Noid couldn't get to the pizza before it got to your house.


Or something like that. I think these ad execs did a lot of coke in the '80s.

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huadpe
April 1, 2009 2:42 AM
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@Thorny: Human error can overcome all database parameters.

Marketing guy one: \"Hey, let's try a bailout promotion. Subsidizing your stomach with a free one topping pizza!\"

Marketing guy two: \"Ok, here, I set it up on the website.\"

MG one: \"It's not working.\"

MG two: \"Oh, let me set it to 'ON.'\"

Marketing boss: \"You can't give everyone a free pizza...too expensive.\"

MGs 1 and 2: \"Ok, we'll work on something else.\"

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kc2idf
April 1, 2009 10:30 AM
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@Thorny: I have a better idea, and not a new one: You have three systems: one for development, one for QA and one for production. The public can't see any system except for production. You want to do a promo? Fine. Develop it in development, and test it in QA, but the new code never hits production until after the green light.

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LordofthePing
April 1, 2009 2:02 AM
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I wonder if we can eat our way out of this downturn one pepperoni pizza at a time?

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4 replies
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huadpe
April 1, 2009 2:43 AM
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@LordofthePing: We can, but unfortunately Domino's doesn't meet the dictionary definition for \"pizza\" or for \"pepperoni\" or for \"food.\"

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pecan 3.14159265
April 1, 2009 2:29 AM
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@LordofthePing: Maybe out of a downturn, into a grave, or into a hospital bed. Or fat camp.

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ShariC
April 1, 2009 3:00 AM
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@pecan 3.14159265: Yeah, because one free pizza is going to kill you, make you sick, or fat. :-p

I think the attitude that certain foods are instantly going to transform you into something else is a huge part of the obesity issue in the U.S. Balance and moderation are the key, but you lose that balance and moderation when you treat some foods like they are off limits and skew your diet in one way or another.

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Anonymous
April 2, 2009 3:59 AM
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@ShariC: I worked at a dominos before and there is no such thing as balance or moderation when it comes to eating any dominos product. More then half of the \"food\" they serve has \"butter flavoring\" coated on it; this \"flavoring\" being nothing short of shortening melted down to triple concentration. All \"dough\" for the pizza is premade and shipped to them and is \"good\" for three weeks. Do you know of any type of dough that you can make and not bake for over three weeks? Would you put a cup of shortening on a half a piece of that dough (AKA cinnasticks, breadsticks, cheese bread; two cups for the cinnasticks and breadsticks)?

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TheWillow
April 3, 2009 9:29 PM
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@NatalieBaazigar: Thanks, now I really am craving dominos.

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MauriceCallidice
April 1, 2009 6:03 AM
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@ShariC: Reminds me of a comment I heard a nutrition \"expert\" make on TV a few years ago: \"There is no safe amount of transfat. Any amount you eat is harmful. You should never eat any product containing transfat.\"

So, if I ate even a single pre-reformulated oreo, I was harming myself? It was worth it.

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theblackdog
April 1, 2009 1:39 PM
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@MauriceCallidice: Excuse me while I go enjoy some \"death cookies\" now ;-)

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PittsburghJen
April 1, 2009 2:15 AM
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@LordofthePing: The can-do spirit of Americans and their love of all things food will see us through!

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David Murphy
April 1, 2009 2:06 AM
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WOW. Wish I'd seen this earlier. I just signed up to follow that CNET blog's Twitter feed, so I see updates in the future.

(@cheapskateblog on [Twitter.com] )

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Bluth_Cornballer
April 1, 2009 2:11 AM
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Presents an interesting moral dilemma. Would I order from Domino's if it was free? Still better than Little Caesar's, but I think I'm leaning towards no.

Kudos on honoring the glitch. 11,000 people probably have heart burn tonight.

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parkavery
April 1, 2009 2:23 AM
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@Bluth_Cornballer: Heartburn: Further proof that there's no such thing as a free (pizza) lunch.

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ArcanaJ
April 1, 2009 2:22 AM
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@Bluth_Cornballer: \"Still better than Little Caesar's...\"

What isn't? Ok, leprosy and most family reunions, but that's about it.

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Elcheecho
April 1, 2009 2:27 AM
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@ArcanaJ: no way, little caesar's is great!!!

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You Cannot Untoast
April 1, 2009 1:29 PM
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@Elcheecho: You have to be a member of the Illitch family, I'm guessing?

The packaging the pizza comes in tastes better.

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supercereal
April 1, 2009 4:33 PM
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@You Cannot Untoast: No way! It was a very sad day for me when Little Caesar's closed up shop in my town. Their pizza was amazing (or at least what I remember of it...that was years ago).

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ceez
April 1, 2009 2:18 AM
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LOL, my friend emailed me today and told me about this promo code. By the time I tried it the code was invalid. fortunately for him he was one of the 11k people that enjoyed their free pizza!


LOL...hackers....

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3 replies
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taking_this_easy
April 1, 2009 2:33 AM
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@ceez: its not hacking... its just trial + error


hate when people call me a hacker, when all I know is to be efficient on computers and know how to fix things electronic... i don' t know how to hack, but everytime they see me, they shout 'stop hacking'

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Jim Topoleski
April 1, 2009 4:10 AM
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@taking_this_easy: It IS actually hacking, just something we call \"social\" hacking or social engineering, which is STILL the number one way to penetrate a system you want to get into.

Keylogging, calling up pretending to be someone your not, guessing passwords based on the persons interest, all instances of social hacking.

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OnefinFinn
April 1, 2009 2:21 AM
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When living on Edinboro St. in Boston the Domino's across the way on South St. would not only deliver in under 10 min, for 2 rips from our Toker II the pizza was always free. Coupons are for squares.

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Mirshaan
April 1, 2009 8:04 PM
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@OnefinFinn:


Then the delivery guy hung out the rest of the afternoon, ate all the pizza, and proceeded to hog the Playstation, right?

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Pistachio?_GitEmSteveDave
April 1, 2009 2:32 AM
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Great, now Rick WILL be asking for a bailout as he walks around Washington, D.C.

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2 replies
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Verucalise (Est.February2008)
April 1, 2009 11:22 AM
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@Pistachio?_GitEmSteveDave: Maybe he'll be riding a cab? Worked for Dan Hesse- he got tired of walking towards the light.

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WelcomingFacebookers_GitEmSteveDave
April 1, 2009 12:33 PM
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@verucalise: Dan's doing his commercial and a hand and a slice of pizza come in from off camera?

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rpm773
April 1, 2009 2:39 AM
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I went to the website and entered Pizza as a coupon code. My bailout will be delivered in 30 minutes or less.

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GayNerd
April 1, 2009 2:42 AM
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But Domino's is disgusting, inedible garbage. I wouldn't eat a slice if you paid me.

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4 replies
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notgoodenough
April 1, 2009 5:20 AM
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@GayNerd: Free Pizza promotion? They are paying you.

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Corporate-Shill
April 1, 2009 3:49 AM
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@GayNerd:


Yea, yea. Heard that one before. Here is your $, go eat a slice.

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cromartie
April 1, 2009 3:05 AM
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@GayNerd: Seconded. But at least the profits no longer support Catholic whack jobs.

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Xerloq
April 1, 2009 2:44 AM
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The interesting parts are the multiple occurrences of confused and enraged Domino's employees refusing to honor the mistake.

'Honoring' 11,000 free pizzas just means 11,000 orders got through before they deactivated the coupon. The second free code is also being refused in stores.

Good that Domino's Corporate is trying to make good on their mistake, but they need to inform the stores (company owned and franchisees) of the steps they're taking to correct this.

Both codes worked for me, and none of the employees were jerks about it, so I might consider giving them more business...

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tackhouse1
April 1, 2009 5:27 PM
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@Xerloq:


Agreed I got my free pizza last night, the employees were totally cool about it. I may order from them again.

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SmBizMan
April 1, 2009 2:52 AM
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how many free pizzas would it take for dominoes to need it's own bailout?

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Andi Lee
April 1, 2009 3:15 AM
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I was hungry this morning when I saw this, but not hungry enough for Domino's. I totally passed on this.

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dhanson865
April 1, 2009 3:17 AM
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the code worked for me, then I decided not to submit my email address and canceled the order process. I didn't mind submitting as I have an extra mail address for promotions like this that I keep but I decided I didn't want to deal with the traffic around lunchtime.

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Frank Murphy
April 1, 2009 3:17 AM
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Calling it pizza is more of a stretch.

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Grrrrrrr, now with two buns made of bacon.
April 1, 2009 4:22 AM
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So....if you want to put on a free pizza promotion but don't want to spend anything on advertising it, create a coupon code, leak it to a popular blogger, and then wait until it leaks all over the 'net.

Seems to me that's some pretty cheap publicity for Dominoes (even it was actually unintentional).

It's win-win-win. People get free pizza, Dominoes gets into the news and they get credit for honoring the coupon.

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Spectre1125
April 1, 2009 7:58 AM
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@Comrade ☠Grяrяrяrяrяrяrя reporting for duty!: Free orders aren't unheard of. There have been coupons for a free pizza in the system for years. Having worked in several stores, I can promise you the problem simply wasn't noticed. As soon as they figured out they were giving away free pizza unintentionally they shut it down.


Middle management is going to have to pay for those pizzas, both through increased store costs and loss of bonuses. But it's not like they can go knocking on doors demanding payment even if they want to. Although with only 11,000 orders, it probably won't make much of a ripple. That is assuming the orders were spread out across the nation at least fairly evenly.

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Grrrrrrr, now with two buns made of bacon.
April 1, 2009 11:45 PM
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@Spectre1125: Well, it might have cost them $30k in pizzas, but what price can you put on free national exposure? (The story even hit the local paper.) A legitimate ad campaign would have cost that in consulting fees alone!

Breaking news: Domino's executives apply for bailout funds....

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trujunglist
April 1, 2009 9:42 PM
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@Spectre1125:

The cost of 11,000 pizzas for them is maybe what, $30k at most? Probably more like $20k, if even that? Straight to overhead, lesson learned, promotion next week to sell off medium pizzas for $6 each instead of $5 when you order an XLG + super overpriced 2 liter etc...

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cametall
April 1, 2009 4:40 AM
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I think I'm one of the only sick people on the planet that LOVES Domino's Pizza and their wings.

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1 replies
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Laura Northrup
April 1, 2009 7:12 AM
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@cametall: I have periodic Pizza Hut cravings. So while I find Domino's vile, I do empathize.

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Jonbo298
April 1, 2009 4:45 AM
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I knew that damned Noid never disappeared. Avoid the Noid. We heard the call. We ignored it. We succumbed to the Noid's dastardly BAILOUT code. We got free Cinna Stix.

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catastrophegirl chooses not to fly
April 1, 2009 5:07 AM
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at least they handled it better than quiznos' [semi] legitimate coupon

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1 replies
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Spectre1125
April 1, 2009 7:47 AM
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@chris101d: The free cinistix thing is supposed to be kind of a jam too. Generally if you use one coupon, you can't use another. That means it is really only good if you plan on ordering one pizza with up to two toppings and nothing else. Otherwise, there is almost always a better coupon for what you are getting.

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chris101d
April 1, 2009 5:47 AM
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Store near me doesn't honor coupons online...the sweet one has existed for a while but it always says \"store does not accept this coupon\" for any of the online ones...only one that works is...get a sandwich for 4.99 you know...the sandwiches that already cost 4.99

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Yoko Broke Up The Beatles
April 1, 2009 7:21 AM
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\"EXCLUSIVE FOR CHEAPSKATE READERS\"


...and readers of THE CONSUMERIST.

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Shawn Roth
April 1, 2009 11:02 AM
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I got one of the free pizzas....and the guy at the store was VERY unsettled about giving it to me...even going so far as to call to make sure it was a real order. When I got to the store I found out why...25 free medium pizzas for lunch that day. And really..it was a crappy pizza...I remember now why I don't get domino's.

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Justin Harper
April 1, 2009 3:48 PM
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@Shawn Roth: You're suggesting that not only are they giving their pizzas away for free, they're SHRINKING their customer base? This will be an interesting case study for years to come.


But, again, kudos for them for fulfilling their promise, even if it was a mistake. Shame on the franchisees who arbitrarily decided not to honor it- don't plan on patronizing their businesses again. Apparently they don't care about keeping their customers happy anyways, just their own bottom lines.


The biggest question of this debacle, however: who is this guy who has so much time on his hands that he goes around typing words into coupon boxes to see if they work? What are the odds? Now it's only a matter of time until we see spam bots ordering pizzas and entering random words to discover coupon codes.

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trujunglist
April 1, 2009 9:48 PM
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@Justin Harper:

You must not use Slickdeals. Use it, love it, get used to the idea that mistakes are sometimes made, and that no one was actually harmed by dominos except dominos themselves. They have no obligation to honor your request for a free pizza when it is a mistake. The fact is that they went out of their way to try and make amends for their own mistake(!) by offering free cinna stix. Have you ever gotten screwed over by your own mistake and then screwed yourself even further by offering MORE free stuff to \"fix\" the mistake? Umm, no, because that's INSANE. So go ahead and don't patronize dominos; your a shitty customer anyway.

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TheGuinnessTooth
April 1, 2009 12:16 PM
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Going hungry is better than going to Domino's.

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Jim Keenan
April 1, 2009 12:59 PM
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I got one of the free pizzas. The lady didn't seem to care that it was free.

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Scuba Steve
April 1, 2009 1:00 PM
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Having Worked at a Domino's, the only way I would eat there would be if I could make the pizza myself. Sure, the ingredients were heartburn tastic, but seriously? It's freakin pizza, not salad.


Thin Crust + Bacon + Hamburger + Banana pepper + Pepperoni + 5 cheeses = Oh wow thats tastey.


Also Wings cooked twice pre-sauced, delicious.

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pollyannacowgirl
April 1, 2009 2:20 PM
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We have friends from Italy who invited us for dinner. The husband informed us we were having pizza, so we were all excited.


They had effing Papa John's ordered in.


One of the most disappointing dinners of my life. The pizza wasn't that bad, but when you're expecting a fabulous Italian-from-Italy cook to be making it....

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Anonymous
April 1, 2009 4:58 PM
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Papa Johns is to Dominos what a thermonuclear bomb is to sticks and stones. No comparison!

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lastingsmilledge
April 1, 2009 2:53 PM
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i have 2 free pizzas sitting in my fridge now. i knew this was shady, so i made sure to order deep dishes with toppings so that i was paying ~$3 each to avoid any witty management-types canceling the order.

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morganlh85
April 1, 2009 3:01 PM
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Sounds like some web programmer is going to be out of a job...

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Yogambo
April 1, 2009 4:16 PM
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ROFL Wow! I got in on this: Ordered before the store opened for a 6:50pm pickup. I thought about ordering another for the office at lunch and saw things were afoot. But my order remained. Went to pickup and girl didn't bat an eye: \"Here's your pizza!\" says she. It was a hot, maybe a wee bit overcooked but mighty darn good for free. Bummer on the overstep, but hey, it's a little publicity for Domino's. I'm sure it cost less than an advert.

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yevarechecha
April 1, 2009 4:44 PM
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I know two people who tried this: one got his order cancelled by Domino's but the other successfully picked up his $0.00 pizza for dinner. Wish I'd seen this.

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Anonymous
April 1, 2009 5:08 PM
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I was a manager for 10 years at Domino's. You would be surprised at how many coupon codes are in the system that anyone can use online. Try 3 digit numbers like 232 or stuff like b1g1 (buy one get one)

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battra92
April 1, 2009 5:39 PM
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I got a free one, no questions asked. The guy just said, \"Guess you were a lucky one, huh?\" By the time I had told my friend it had been shut off.

Oh well, free pizza is good pizza.

I do plan on making real pizza later this week, though.

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Anonymous
April 1, 2009 6:37 PM
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Dominos is the Ragu King of Pizza! They give Italians a bad name making that slop! If I needed to feed my dog's I might consider store bought pizza before Dominos! They have the nerve to charge so much for a Large (smalll) Pizza when they only have maybe $2.50 worth of ingrediants in the pie. Maybe they are trying to recoup some losses from the Madoff Scam!

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Anonymous
April 1, 2009 7:22 PM
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I saw it on my usual freebie site EARLY yesterday morning. I went ahead and placed the order and put a 4:30 pickup time. When my son got home from school, I took him and let him run in and get it. They were nice to him and said, here ya go, it's paid for. Now, granted they are only like 5 minutes away from us, or I probably wouldn't have bothered, but my son had no complaints..he ate the whole thing! I have to say Kudos to Domino's for being stand-up about the whole thing.

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Anonymous
April 1, 2009 8:07 PM
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Full Disclosure: I'm a librarian, but I deliver part time for Domino's. I used to deliver full time (put myself through undergrad & grad school while working there). Their new American Legends pizzas are really good. I don't think they're doing a good job of promoting them, so I'm worried they won't last long. Try the Buffalo Chicken one and thank me later!

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Anonymous
April 1, 2009 9:02 PM
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Sounds like your a great costomer to have (I was a delivery driver at one time,been there done that).The ones that said thier pizza sucks,it all has to do with how soon you get the pizza and like any fast food place it all depends on the place ,how it's run, employees,etc.It's all goooid.from the fine fin from the northwest. brinbrybrotherb at aol or bryan.koistinen at terex

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Anonymous
April 2, 2009 12:47 AM
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As an employee of Domino's I can say that my store alone lost $130 in less than a half hour before the coupon was deleted. We did honor all the orders, even the ones where people created multiple accounts with fake names in order to get multiple free pizzas. But once the news was released that the coupon was not legit several of the people returned to the store this morning (04-01-09) and offered to pay for thier free pizzas. Those few honest people got a 2nd free pizza for being honest! And just for the record, online coupons only work ONLINE. Which is why they are called online coupons. But we do still get calls several times a day from people that say \"I was just online and I seen that you have an online special for \"____________\" and I'd like to order that and pay with a credit card.\" People if you have a credit card and are already online, 3/4 of the work is already done, just go ahead and order online. Domino's.com is owned and maintained by Corporate Domino's and ALL online coupons are corporate coupons. A good 75 to 80 % of Domino's stores are franchises and do not honor corporate coupons. So in order to use an online coupon you must submit your order online. the free cinistick coupon is an online coupon and therefore a corporate coupon. In order to take advantage of it you must submit your order online. Franchises will not honer it in store.

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redkamel
April 2, 2009 5:09 AM
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\"no, no, we didnt end the promotion. We \"fixed the glitch\"\"

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