Fast food restaurants are constantly throwing out freebies and deals to entice you into a purchase. Sometimes they’re worth taking advantage of, but many times, there’s a huge catch.
Domino’s latest “deal” is one of the latter. It involves a free dessert, which certainly sounds great. But when you dig deeper, you realize that you’ll end up spending more just to get the “freebie.” Here’s how the deal works, and why Domino’s rules negate the deal.
What’s the Free Lava Cakes Deal?
Domino’s turned 65 in early December, and the way that the chain is celebrating is by giving away Chocolate Lava Crunch Cakes, one of the desserts on the menu.
To get the deal, you need to spend at least $10 for the free lava cakes. You also have to place your order online or in the chain’s mobile app and use the code “HAPPYBDAY” when you checkout. The deal is available through December 22.
If you do all that, you’ll get three warm chocolate lava cakes with a gooey, fudgy center and a little bit of crunch around the edges. Sounds good to us — though it’s a little rich after eating fast-food pizza.
What’s the Catch?
Domino’s is a pretty inexpensive pizza chain. They have some great deals that they advertise constantly, including the $7 mix-and-match deal, $10 specialty pizzas, and an $8 carryout special. The problem is that the company considers all of those long-running promotions “coupons.” (You might see where this is going already…)
The free lava cakes deal is also a coupon — which makes more sense, since there’s a code you have to enter to get it. But Domino’s doesn’t let customers use more than one “coupon” per order. So you have to choose: Do you want cheap pizza, or do you want free lava cakes? You can’t have both.
It’s frustrating because the ongoing pizza specials don’t seem like “coupons” at all, so this feels like a bait-and-switch.
What’s the Best Way to Get Free Lava Cakes?
If you want to try the lava cakes for free anyway, your best bet is to order the cheapest pizza you can, which would be a small cheese pizza. Prices vary by location, so keep that in mind. But at one location in South Carolina, a small cheese pizza is $9.24, getting you annoyingly close to $10, but not quite. Add one topping, and you’ll get to $10.49, pushing you over that free lava cake threshold.
In a Reddit thread discussing the deal — and lack thereof — commenters suggest the cheapest things you can add to your order when you only need a few more cents on your total. If your store carries packets of parmesan, they’re generally only a nickel, said one Redditor. But if your Domino’s doesn’t carry them anymore, dip cups are the next cheapest thing at 75 or 99 cents.
Really though, the consensus is that this freebie promotion isn’t really a deal at all, since you’re not getting good value with whatever $10+ food you purchase. Skip this one, and just stick with the Domino’s pizza deals instead.
More From Cheapism
- Brand New Fast-Food Menu Items Dropping in December — See what’s new at McDonald’s, Domino’s, and other fast-food chains.
- Meal Deals, Free Fries, and More Fast-Food Offers for December — Before heading to the drive-thru lane or ordering a pizza, check out these money-saving fast-food deals.
- 6 Worst Pizza Chains in America — If you’re looking for a primo pizza for your next party or Friday movie night, it’s probably best to steer clear of these pizza joints.
