Applebee's customers were thrilled when the restaurant chain announced an exclusive Date Night Pass just in time for Valentine's Day earlier this month. But then supplies didn't last.
The $200 tickets for 52 date nights at the favorite neighborhood grill were sold out within minutes once they became available online Monday, the company said.
"Due to popular demand, the Applebee’s Date Night Pass has sold out!" the restaurant's website states.
Applebee's Date Night Pass was a promotional deal that let customers buy limited-edition passes for up to $30 in food and non-alcoholic beverages per visit for 52 visits. The national chain said the passes had more than a $1,500 value for just $200.
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The Date Night Pass went on sale on Monday at noon, but hopeful couples had their date plans quashed when the passes were sold out almost as soon as they went online.
Applebee's did not respond to a request for comment.
The "excitement and demand from guests for Applebee’s Date Night Pass far surpassed our expectations," an Applebee's spokesperson told USA Today in a statement.
The restaurant chain did not say how many passes were sold, but said that "there were tens of thousands of hungry guests waiting to try and snag a pass" when they went live.
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Customers on social media cried foul, with many complaining that Applebee's website lagged and prevented them from buying the pass before it sold out.
"Within the span of probably 30 seconds the Applebees date night pass was in my card available and then sold out," one X user wrote.
"Literally spamming refresh on @Applebees for the date night and didn't even see the option to purchase one," another user complained. "What'd they sell, like 5 of them?"
Some wondered aloud whether any passes were sold at all, or if the entire promotion was just a marketing ploy to generate interest on social media.
"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," one user wrote on X.
"I got one," someone else replied. "Page kept giving me a server error. Then if finally reloaded and let me buy one. Honestly, I was very surprised."
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Applebee's told USA Today that if they learned one thing from the promotion, it was that "our guests are hungry for date night at Applebee's!"
"We're always looking for ways to make date night special for our guests," the chain said in a statement.
