If you were trying to score a year’s supply of Applebee’s date nights (first off, what’s wrong with you?), you likely walked away much like how you would feel after eating at an Applebee’s: Unsatisfied and full of regret.
In case you missed it, Applebee’s Neighborhood Bar and Grill made it known to the public that they would be releasing a limited supply of “Date Night Passes” online, and they went on sale earlier today.
Or did they? Because everyone who rushed to their computer or smart device (probably riddled with guilt) to purchase the $200 pass that would have equated to $1,500 worth of meals thinks that it was all a big ruse.
The promotion stated that the $200 pass would be good for 52 weekly meals, where participating Applebee’s locations would honor the pass by covering $30 worth of food and beverages (no alcohol) each trip. If you think about it, that’s an amazing deal that seems too good to be true, and there’s a chance that it was…
Social media was flooded with screenshots of people who were bravely being open about their Applebee’s fandom, saying that they had the “Date Night Pass” in their cart, but were never able to actually purchase the deal:
Wtf @Applebees so your website crashes and then 2 minutes later this is sold out?? Is this a joke?? I was waiting exactly at 11 AM. This is bs man. pic.twitter.com/2hzZepSXtm
— Jonathan Jarrell (@Jarrell_JD) January 22, 2024
With the passes “selling out” so quickly, many consumers that were trying to get their hands on the deal called out Applebee’s, wondering if anyone that rushed to the restaurant’s website at 12 p.m. eastern time was able to actually purchase the “Date Night Pass.”
Somebody please prove to me that the Applebees date night passes exist…Because that sold out at warp speed and the page never loaded for me. pic.twitter.com/L12AtpEc3U
— Crystal (@misscrystalynn) January 22, 2024
No one online seems to have been successful in the pursuit of the head-scratching deal, so now the internet is outraged (that’s kind of the internet’s favorite activity) that Applebee’s might have done the whole thing just to drive traffic up on their website and get their brand trending on social media. Any publicity is good publicity right?
And a lot of people were just straight up sad that they missed out on the deal, if it did in fact ever exist (which no one knows for sure):
I think everyone should come together and not go to @Applebees anymore for scamming people with this promotion.
— Ed Jirousek (@EdJirousek) January 22, 2024
Everyone who didn’t get an Applebees date night pass right now. pic.twitter.com/Hk3SZDaXF1
— Retro Tarantino (@RETROxFPS) January 22, 2024
I’m never going to Applebees again. I mean, I didn’t go before this pass was offered BUT NOW IM DEFINITELY NOT GOING!
— Josh Whitaker (@JoshWhit_) January 22, 2024
consumers trying to buy applebees date night pass pic.twitter.com/4Jwz9Mjetw
— pepper brooks (@pepperyball) January 22, 2024
So Applebees definitely only sold like 25 of those date night passes they advertised right?
— Robine “Shades” Bungers (@crimelover69) January 22, 2024
