A deal too good to be true? That’s what some TikTokers are saying about Applebee’s latest “Date Night Pass” promotion. Here’s why.
The Applebee’s Date Night Pass was a limited-edition offer that promised customers a year’s worth of weekly date nights for a one-time purchase of $200. However, the promotion quickly sold out, leading to widespread disappointment and allegations of a scam.
One TikTok user making such allegations is @thevintagemarkt. His video, which was posted on Jan. 22 and has since gone viral, features his allegations that that the Applebee’s Date Night Pass promotion was nothing more than a scam.
In the video, the TikToker navigates the Applebee’s website, only to show that the promotion had already sold out. “The Applebee’s date night thing was a f*cking scam. Literally, the page crashed and once it freakin’ loaded, this is what it showed,” he said in the video.
The TikToker then challenged his viewers, “I would love to see who got one. Show in the comments who got one, and then if you did, post a video, prove it!”
@thevintagemarkt SCAM CITY #applebeesonadatenight #fyp #sad ♬ original sound – CRISP_RICE
The video quickly sparked a wave of comments from disgruntled customers making similar allegations.
One commenter claimed they immediately called customer service because the website crashed, only to hear a pre-recorded message stating the promotion was sold out.
Another user complained, “I had mine in the cart at noon and then BOOM while I was waiting with it in my cart – SOLD OUT.”
A third commenter claimed it took them “over 10 minutes for the website to load.”
One user offered an explanation, stating, “The Olive Garden pasta pass sells out within seconds every year. I wouldn’t imagine this being any different.”
According to USA Today, the promotional Date Night pass sold out within just one minute. An Applebee’s representative told the news broadcasting company, “The excitement and demand from guests for Applebee’s Date Night Pass far surpassed our expectations.”
While the restaurant chain didn’t reveal how many limited supply passes were made available, they said that “there were tens of thousands of hungry guests waiting to try and snag a pass.”
@thevintagemarkt isn’t the only TikToker to have questions about the Date Night pass. Before its launch, one user said the deal would be worth it if you stayed within the $30 budget set in the guidelines, but guessed the passes would be limited in number. Another user who was unable to secure a pass is also calling the promotion a scam.
The Daily Dot has reached out to @thevintagemarkt via TikTok direct messages and to Applebee’s via their press email.
