It's easy for corporate to say "free pizza!" but it ends up on the little guys to honor that and hope corp. decides to reimburse them for it, which they may or may not do in a timely manner.

Papa John's is far from the only one with this issue. Quizno's franchisees have sued their corporate chain because corp. was forcing them to honor promotions that resulted in franchisees selling food for less than it cost them to make, and without any reimbursement.

Suppose you run a franchise selling hamburgers. It costs you a $1 to buy the burgers and cook them, so you sell it for $1.10 and make a little money. One day Big Burger Corp. announces it's two for a dollar on hambugers. National TV ad campaign, TV talk show tie-in, big posters to put in the store windows. But not a penny back to the franchise to help cover the food costs. Not only do you now lose the dime you were making, every two-fer you sell still costs you $2 in ingredients and labor. You can honor the promo and go broke, or be the bad guy and refuse and try to stay in business. Either way you are screwed.

This is the sort of BS that is pulled by basically all the franchise chains and it's why so many of the franchisees are bitter and angry and why many of them are suing the parent chains.

@RogerTheAlien: That's why franchisees should get lawyers. You know that you will have to absorb costs - but you know that you have a brand you can build under. If you want the brand, you pay what it takes. Otherwise start your own company

He *SHOULD* be grateful that he got free pizza for him and his buddies. Instead he can only complain. FAIL.

Note to chains with franchises: next time you run one of these promotions, simply reimburse the outlet for the cost of the ingredients. It eliminates the owners who don't want to play and don't see the value of participating and it keeps the HQ from looking like greedy bastards for making a profit on the ingredients. You'll avoid all the sniping at Consumerist and the deal hunting sites and you'll get people excited and happy about your brand.

This deal was so specialized that the free national pub they got is far more than the cost of the pizza. Make it positive by using an incentive system that makes your franchises want to be part of it.

I quit eating at Papa Johns when they had a special pizza that I loved, only I wanted regular sauce. The first time I got what I orderd, second time no go, called corp, got district manager to call me back, got what I wanted. Fourth time, Guy on phone said" I could not order it that way as there was no key on the register that would let him do that." I told him" there was no extra charge for it, thats what they made a pen for so it could be written in" He hung up, thats been two years ago. I wouldn't go there if it was free. If I can't get the pizza I want, then I will go where I can get the pizza I want.

I do not own a Camaro, but I'm not a jerk like this guy, who feels entitled to as much free delicious pizza as his car can earn him. In exchange for not being a jerk and being a regular paying patron for over a decade, I was wondering if I can just get a free slice? And some extra garlic dip?

If not, I understand. Out of all the pizza franchises out there, Papa John's is by far the least greasy.

If I could traditionally go with a local chain, I will, but Papa John's is always my #1 chain choice.

2) I read the story and knew that all reasonable discussion on the topic of when and how and why franchises can or should participate in chain freebie giveaways would be thrown entirely out the window because the OP tried to get a second pizza.

1) It sucks, but when you hear "at participating locations" and your local joint doesn't participate you're S.O.L.

2) Anyone who actually eats, let alone enjoys, Papa John's bile...I mean pizza...deserves tragedy in their lives :P Or at least while on their toilets. I'd pick Dominos over Papa's

And most of the comments are both condeming him and directly defending the Papa Johns franchise by mentioning the "participating locations only" clause repeatedly, which would have applied to Quiznos and KFC as well.

And if the issue was the Quiznos company not reimbursing their franchisees, well, I'm sure that's why the Papa Johns wasn't participating.. they didn't want to lose money.

Once again. I don't agree either way. I think if you're going to do something like this, you should make sure everyone is onboard, but reimburse them fully and properly. Sadly, those two seem to be exclusive.

He had no problem loving Papa John's when he got the free pizza, then he tried to get more at other stores and was denied because they are franchised.. Hopefully hail destroys his car..

These companies need to work something out, in advance, with the franchisees. This kind of publicity hurts them both. I haven't been to a KFC since the grilled-chicken fiasco, and it will be years before I go again (if I ever do).

The fact that the OP is sheisty doesn't negate that point. And yes, OP, you are sheisty.

@LostAtoll:
I so want the new Camaro; and I'm far from having a midlife crisis. It just looks hot.

regardless, that's really irrelevant. if you do a simple cost-benefit analysis, you'd be pretty hard-pressed to justify NOT participating in this promo. $1.50 buys you the potential to add-on additional sales (more pizzas, breadsticks, wings, drinks, etc.) & gain repeat business. compare this to the cost of NOT honoring it: not only the opposite of the above, but the potential for bad media, negative word-of mouth from denied customers, & most importantly - you'll reduce the effectiveness of future campaigns. retention is the most difficult aspect of service - why take a chance that you'll alienate your best customers - your monthly bread & butter - on the off-chance that some yahoo is going to game a few free pizzas?

what do you do now, slick?

@Verucalise(wantsherfigureback):

You bet the OP didn't write corporate about this. Why would he, he knows himself he is wrong about this whole thing and the way he conducted himself. Imagine writing to Papa John's, 'I got a free pizza at one chain, but when I went back and tried to rip off another Papa John's for another free pizza, they weren't "honoring" the promotion.'

Exactly, I'd laugh him off too. Hence, when people like the OP know they don't have anything of substance to back up their alleged perceptions of being wrong by the 'eeeevil' corporate types, the first thing they do is come to Consumerist to try and drum up some 'support.' It's obvious Consumerist staff knows these types of people and what they are all about, hence they post these.

Is it that hard?

Bad form!

@The Porkchop Express: I'm all messed up on cough syrup now, so just like...never mind.

@TheFlamingoKing: Exactly FlamingoKing.

Guy already had one free pizza. And then tries to get another one somewhere else, and cries when he doesn't. The fact is not all franchises participate due to the points brought up by FlamingoKing.

We're a society that expects things for free or for nothing, and bitch about it when we don't have things are way, all the way. For the guy to already have one franchisee honor the pizza, then make cheap and hollow threats about not liking them and not going to them in the future, is the height of hypocrisy.

One reason why franchises refuse to participate in these types of programs is because of people just like the OP that take advantage of the system. And since they often don't get reimbursed, they're out the cost of the product without any real say at all.

The only real benefit the franchisee gets is the advertisement. OP was served properly at a location. He enjoyed the pizza with his friends. There were no problems with Papa John's then. But suddenly, he's refused a SECOND pizza, against the rules, and now he needs to boycott Papa John's.

No, I blame the OP. He's basically said he's out to scam the company, and then we should all boycott the company because his scam didn't work.

What a spoiled rotten.....(you can fill in the rest) He should've been happy with just the one pizza. In this day and age with how bad the economy is that one pizza would've fed my family.

Yes it is. And my husband just had an orgasm. (I know TMI- but I still don't understand his facination with these cars.)

The OPs actions are the primary reason why independents refuse to participate in such promotions.

I got my free pizza in Norco, CA and paid for a specialty pizza to go with it. This was my first visit to papajohns. I will be back.

Promotion worked.

@jaybeas: Everyone in this thread does realize we may be the only people still able to read and write that remember this stuff right?

Plus, I wonder if when the OP drives past the kids they all spit and cuss?

Disclaimer: I've owned three (3) x 3rd generation Firebirds (nearly identical to the Camaro) and thus feel very much entitled to poke fun at them. ;-)

@The Porkchop Express: "You're kidding!"
"I must be, the Bahamas are islands."

@brain_grenade: +1. Often, all the ingredients, signage, storefront decoration, etc has to be purchased directly from Corporate. As such, the bottom line of a lot of franchisees is undercut by the requirements from Corporate. Plus, not every location of a franchise is as profitable as the next, so promotions like this while a total bonus for the consumer, can literally mean death for a particular franchise.

I think most of the annoyance is that the submitter went to multiple resturants, and is annoyed that one of them didn't give him the free pizza. If he hadn't already gotten a free pizza, it would probably be more understandable for him to be upset.

Personally, I think people get a little too worked up over not getting free food, but if you are that mad, don't go there. But it's funny when people complain that they hate a fast-food restaurant, and then are pissed because that restaurant won't give them free shit.

@t0ph: I think it's mustachioed.

@robocop_is_bleeding: Nice!

I hope those guys have a good sense of humor and don't take us to court.

@Cant_stop_the_rock: True dat. My real beef with the whole thing is that part of being a chain with franchisees is the homogeneity of it. A PJ's in one place should be like a PJ's in another place (part of my draw to the oft-loathed Starbucks), but when the chain ISN'T fulfilling that homogeneity, it's like, "Why bother being a chain, then?" I know that's kind of unreasonable and immature of me to want that, but at least admission of a problem is the first step to recovery, right?

@LostAtoll: Tony Orlando and Dawn!

Though, interestingly enough, I was the first person to come in and order something beyond my free pie.

I don't care too much about the promotion - but, I am interested in buying that Camaro shown in the picture!

But Papa Johns? They were well within their rights. Yep yep.

I mean, I don't agree either way, but the sudden 180 that many 'commenters' have taken is interesting and strange.

What a whiny bitch.

2. Let's not be greedy and try to get pizza at every papa johns in the county next time.

3. Let's not waste your time writing about it, just so that you can be made fun of on the internets.

4. Camaros just say midlife crisis. Or yeah, as someone else mentioned, mustachios. But not the good, thin, classy, sword fighting mustache.

I applaud the Consumerist staff for pointing out that the OP DID get a free pizza, it was the second free pizza he was trying to get (and wasn't entitled to anyway) that he was refused. The fact that he actually wrote and complained is stunning.

THAT SAID, one would think that any company that relies on franchisees would:

1. NEVER launch a promotion without being certain all locations were participating.

2. Put language in their franchise contracts that DEMANDS participation.

The damage done to a brand when they announce promotions most won't honor is horrid.

ok, i'll take the flamebait. here's why: how the f- do you know a restaurant is participating or not? you don't. hell, the employees don't even know. sometimes the managers don't even know.

despite this, a franchise store benefits from a nationwide promotion designed to increase traffic into their business & they don't even need to participate!

this is akin to false advertising. & it's bad business. part of the cost of doing business is marketing & promotion. if the franchise owner near you doesn't understand this, she has no business operating a business. recognize that she doesn't value her customer base & take your business elsewhere.

@Verucalise(wantsherfigureback): The fact that people try to abuse promotions like this is probably the reason you get franchises not participating as they know they are just getting screwed in the end. The more people that abuse things like this, the fewer and fewer franchises will take part when offers come along.

This is nothing new. So I'll say it - WHY IS THIS ON CONSUMERIST?

Also, the Camaro driving, probably mustached OP is a greedy and whiny pig.

Why is this on Consumerist? Christ.

And yet again, when I needed help from Consumerist my email to tips@consumerist.com gets frickin' ignored. What the loving hell has Consumerist turned into these days?

@zibby:

Love all these responses. I hope Paul reads this, and I hope other Consumerist readers also read this, and GROW UP! I'm tired of every consumer out there thinking they were slighted, their food was altered/contaminated, they were denied this and they were denied that, and then come crying to Consumerist thinking they are the latest media anti corporate hero.

Enough is enough already. It's already been warned here SO many times about these things, that not ALL franchises abide by or has to abide by these free promos. I have enough issues as it is with the coupons for free items at my local Jack in the Box, so I don't even bother with them.

The proper mindset in approaching these promos is to think that your local chain will deny the promo, and that you were going to go there and buy something anyways. Then when your promo is honored, good for you.

@Verucalise(wantsherfigureback):
AMEN!!

It's not false advertising, because they always specify that it's valid at participating locations. Easiest way to find out if a location is participating is to pick up the phone.

I'd rather have promotions be available at participating locations only than not be available at all.

@brain_grenade: My parents drove it up from the bahamas.

The reasons are as varied as greedy operators, lack of capacity, undue interference with daily operation, etc.

Typically, the advertisement will say somewhere in it that participation varies. If Papa John's didn't put that in there, shame on them.

There should be a spot on fast food websites that allows the customer to look up which locations honor which promotions.

@HiPwr: "I'm with you" me meant say.

@Verucalise(wantsherfigureback): I with you.

@zibby: Yeah, "I never really liked Papa John's" but wanted to eat two of them in one day because they were free.

Waaaaaaah!

the 'pizza' is implied.

@diangelo: I agree. I have mixed feelings about this because A: it's showing a consumer's sense of entitlement (undeserved) and then the sour-grapes attitude when they didn't get TWO free items, when they should have been happy with one. Or any at all.

But, B: Franchised chains shouldn't advertise a promotion that they're not willing to FORCE all franchisees to honor. I'd consider it false advertising.

But really, the dude got a free pie, and he's STILL bitching? What a turd.

papa john's runs a promotion that is valid at participating locations only

news at 10

you're talking about giving away a couple dozen pies at most here. geez. don't be such a tightwad. besides, it costs about $1.50 to make a pizza pie. suck it up.

"I never really liked Papa John's. This is all the more reason to avoid them."

Then why did you even bother to go? You took coworkers out to lunch on the chain's dime and didn't have a complaint when you received the free pizza. Only now, when you tried to rip off another establishment were you mad and all of a sudden- Papa John's is shit pizza and a horrible place to eat.

You are entitled to your opinion, but I am completely lost and somewhat disappointed at your reasoning behind this e-mail. If I were Papa John's, I wouldn't give a rat's ass about this. You took a nice gesture from a chain establishment and somehow, even though you actually received what was promised, managed to complain still because you wanted MORE.

As for the establishments not honoring the promotion- well, it's not the first or last time folks. Call ahead- and write corporate if you feel you've been wronged. In this case, I don't believe the OP has.

But, "pizza pie hole" would have been more fun.

He got a pizza. He can shut his pie hole.