Warning: Quizno's Million Sub Giveaway May Have a Catch! Update: You are Not Alone!

Since I first posted this on Monday, thousands of you have found this post.

Update 2/27- I received a comment from someone attempting to do damage control - it is in the comment section. In as much as the initial response solicits problems redeeming free sub coupons...the comment goes on to promote another Quizno's promotion.  Damage control is not advising consumers to send complaints to an email address. Damage control is working with franchisees to accept the coupon. Brand loyalty is at stake....

Sean Kelly over at Franchise Pick has insight into why Consumers are having problems with the Free Sub Coupons.- FranchisePick

 The Consumerist just updated the problem at Quiznos- Update 2/25

It's all over the net, Quizno's million sub giveaway. - A Free Signature or Small Every Day Value Sub.....all you do is go to the web site, register, and they send you a link for your free sub, that is good for four days.. But beware....

I like Subway, but thought I would give the local Quizno's a try. I walked in...and handed the coupon to a sandwich maker, and he went to the cashier...she had not seen the coupon....then she told me the coupon was only good if I bought a drink or bag of chips. What gives..It says Free subs- It does not say She explained that this Quizno's is franchised owned- and that is the only way I would get a free sub. I told her no thanks, and went to another Quizno's.  Same thing- Franchise knew nothing about it...and they wanted me to buy a drink, and chips. Suffice it to say, I ate at Subway...there Five Dollar sandwich deal has no strings...and once and for all I am done with Quizno's.

Perhaps the home office of Quizno's should alert franchisees of promotions, prior to launching them on the public. (note: as a former franchise holder, I understand that Franchisor want to drive traffic to the franchisee's stores) but lack of communication to the franchisee on a giveaway is appalling. Quizno's corporate isn't footing the bill for the Free subs.....the local store owner is. Shame on Quizno's corporate, because they have lost a customer for their local stores with their ineptness. Sure I could have bought a drink and chips...but that wasn't the point in going in...if the coupon had said "offer may vary at participating locations" it would have been better.

As a public service- here is the link to the Quizno's Free Sub Promotion. I know it says valid at participating locations. Particiapating location, to me, means, they will honor the coupon without additional purchases. if the coupon had said "offer may vary at participating locations" it would have been better, but then it wouldn't be "free."  Agree?

Quizno's Press release

From Quizno's Press release: ".....Unlike some free food promotions that restrict people to certain times and places, Quiznos' goal is to make it as simple as possible to receive a free sub...."

MillionsSubs

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Comments

[Tracey]

I'm sorry to hear you had such a difficult time redeeming your coupon. I'm working with Quiznos and I wanted to take a moment to share our response to those, like you, who had an issue using their free sandwich coupon:

The response to the Quiznos Millions Subs Giveaway has been nothing short of overwhelming. That’s great, right? Right... but given that we have had over a million consumers respond in only three days, there are a handful of people who have reported some problem redeeming their free sandwich. If you’re one of them, please let us know right away by emailing millionsubs@quiznos.com. We’re working hard to address every issue very quickly.

And, if you weren’t quite fast enough the first time around, there’s still a chance to win a free-subs-for-a-year gift card through our Hometown Heroes promotion throughout the month of March. Check out www.millionsubs.com for details.

I hope you find this helpful!

[JS]

I went to four different Quiznos and none accepted I seriously doubt any Quiznos are really accepting coupon if the individual franchises are not being reimbursed. I do believe Quiznos advertising company might have hired people to post that they are accepting them on sites .

[James]

Same problem. I went to 2 quiznos and they did not accept the coupon at all. I guess "participating locations" is the catch and it is unfortunate that there is no known way to find out which and how many are participating.

[dr]

I went to two and called 4 more in the So. Cal. area no stores we participating. Very, big waste of tim for me.

[Alex]

Yeah, I went by my local Quizno's and they even had a sign saying they didn't participate in the giveaway. Their site had a counter saying how many had been given away, but when franchises won't honor them, it ends up being a dishonest statement.

[D Tom]

Same problem. I went to 3 quiznos (Oakland, Berkeley and Lafayette in SF Bay Area) and they did not accept the coupon at all. What good is having a promotion if no store honors the deal?

[Christine]

My friend and I tried to use ours today in Dover, Delaware and the worker was just down right rude and would not take this coupon. For that matter she wouldn't even look at it, and the other employee was to busy talking on her cell phone to help. I would go there at least once a week when I was in that area, but my friend who drives the disabled for a living goes there every other day, I don't think that she will be going back to them anymore after we were both thrown to the curb by embarresment.

[len s]

same story in detroit area. we went to our local (chesterfield mich) store which had a county health dept sign on the door closing it. went to the mt clemens store. it was empty. drove all the way to grosse pointe only to be treated rude and told how corporate screwed this up. (do u really think as a customer, we care about the corporate/franchise relationship?????) they would only give us a "sammy"?? a tasty bite-size hor dourve. but NO sub. they put us through a lot of hoops for a bite-size morsel and needless to say, we AINT gonin back

[Jo McKenzie]

Same problem in Beaverton Oregon - Regatta Lane. Metropolitan area to Portland Oregon. Here they would accept the coupon if you bought other items + they accused both my daughter and I of 'copying' the coupon and made a huge production out of it. Then they wanted us to pay for the order.