Oh the frenzy that a simple extra parameter in their database might have prevented! Status: ON or OFF. LOL>

I wonder if we can eat our way out of this downturn one pepperoni pizza at a time?

WOW. Wish I'd seen this earlier. I just signed up to follow that CNET blog's Twitter feed, so I see updates in the future.

(@cheapskateblog on [Twitter.com] )

Presents an interesting moral dilemma. Would I order from Domino's if it was free? Still better than Little Caesar's, but I think I'm leaning towards no.

Kudos on honoring the glitch. 11,000 people probably have heart burn tonight.

@LordofthePing: The can-do spirit of Americans and their love of all things food will see us through!

LOL, my friend emailed me today and told me about this promo code. By the time I tried it the code was invalid. fortunately for him he was one of the 11k people that enjoyed their free pizza!

LOL...hackers....

When living on Edinboro St. in Boston the Domino's across the way on South St. would not only deliver in under 10 min, for 2 rips from our Toker II the pizza was always free. Coupons are for squares.

@Bluth_Cornballer: "Still better than Little Caesar's..."

What isn't? Ok, leprosy and most family reunions, but that's about it.

@Bluth_Cornballer: Heartburn: Further proof that there's no such thing as a free (pizza) lunch.

@ArcanaJ: no way, little caesar's is great!!!

@LordofthePing: Maybe out of a downturn, into a grave, or into a hospital bed. Or fat camp.

Great, now Rick WILL be asking for a bailout as he walks around Washington, D.C.

@ceez: its not hacking... its just trial + error

hate when people call me a hacker, when all I know is to be efficient on computers and know how to fix things electronic... i don' t know how to hack, but everytime they see me, they shout 'stop hacking'

I went to the website and entered Pizza as a coupon code. My bailout will be delivered in 30 minutes or less.

@Thorny: Human error can overcome all database parameters.

Marketing guy one: "Hey, let's try a bailout promotion. Subsidizing your stomach with a free one topping pizza!"

Marketing guy two: "Ok, here, I set it up on the website."

MG one: "It's not working."

MG two: "Oh, let me set it to 'ON.'"

Marketing boss: "You can't give everyone a free pizza...too expensive."

MGs 1 and 2: "Ok, we'll work on something else."

But Domino's is disgusting, inedible garbage. I wouldn't eat a slice if you paid me.

@LordofthePing: We can, but unfortunately Domino's doesn't meet the dictionary definition for "pizza" or for "pepperoni" or for "food."

The interesting parts are the multiple occurrences of confused and enraged Domino's employees refusing to honor the mistake.

'Honoring' 11,000 free pizzas just means 11,000 orders got through before they deactivated the coupon. The second free code is also being refused in stores.

Good that Domino's Corporate is trying to make good on their mistake, but they need to inform the stores (company owned and franchisees) of the steps they're taking to correct this.

Both codes worked for me, and none of the employees were jerks about it, so I might consider giving them more business...

how many free pizzas would it take for dominoes to need it's own bailout?

@pecan 3.14159265: Yeah, because one free pizza is going to kill you, make you sick, or fat. :-p

I think the attitude that certain foods are instantly going to transform you into something else is a huge part of the obesity issue in the U.S. Balance and moderation are the key, but you lose that balance and moderation when you treat some foods like they are off limits and skew your diet in one way or another.

@GayNerd: Seconded. But at least the profits no longer support Catholic whack jobs.

I was hungry this morning when I saw this, but not hungry enough for Domino's. I totally passed on this.

the code worked for me, then I decided not to submit my email address and canceled the order process. I didn't mind submitting as I have an extra mail address for promotions like this that I keep but I decided I didn't want to deal with the traffic around lunchtime.

Calling it pizza is more of a stretch.

@GayNerd: Totally agreed.

@GayNerd:

Yea, yea. Heard that one before. Here is your $, go eat a slice.

@taking_this_easy: It IS actually hacking, just something we call "social" hacking or social engineering, which is STILL the number one way to penetrate a system you want to get into.

Keylogging, calling up pretending to be someone your not, guessing passwords based on the persons interest, all instances of social hacking.

So....if you want to put on a free pizza promotion but don't want to spend anything on advertising it, create a coupon code, leak it to a popular blogger, and then wait until it leaks all over the 'net.

Seems to me that's some pretty cheap publicity for Dominoes (even it was actually unintentional).

It's win-win-win. People get free pizza, Dominoes gets into the news and they get credit for honoring the coupon.

I think I'm one of the only sick people on the planet that LOVES Domino's Pizza and their wings.

I knew that damned Noid never disappeared. Avoid the Noid. We heard the call. We ignored it. We succumbed to the Noid's dastardly BAILOUT code. We got free Cinna Stix.

at least they handled it better than quiznos' [semi] legitimate coupon

@GayNerd: Free Pizza promotion? They are paying you.

Store near me doesn't honor coupons online...the sweet one has existed for a while but it always says "store does not accept this coupon" for any of the online ones...only one that works is...get a sandwich for 4.99 you know...the sandwiches that already cost 4.99

@ShariC: Reminds me of a comment I heard a nutrition "expert" make on TV a few years ago: "There is no safe amount of transfat. Any amount you eat is harmful. You should never eat any product containing transfat."

So, if I ate even a single pre-reformulated oreo, I was harming myself? It was worth it.

@cametall: I have periodic Pizza Hut cravings. So while I find Domino's vile, I do empathize.

"EXCLUSIVE FOR CHEAPSKATE READERS"

...and readers of THE CONSUMERIST.

@chris101d: The free cinistix thing is supposed to be kind of a jam too. Generally if you use one coupon, you can't use another. That means it is really only good if you plan on ordering one pizza with up to two toppings and nothing else. Otherwise, there is almost always a better coupon for what you are getting.

@Comrade ☠Grяrяrяrяrяrяrя reporting for duty!: Free orders aren't unheard of. There have been coupons for a free pizza in the system for years. Having worked in several stores, I can promise you the problem simply wasn't noticed. As soon as they figured out they were giving away free pizza unintentionally they shut it down.

Middle management is going to have to pay for those pizzas, both through increased store costs and loss of bonuses. But it's not like they can go knocking on doors demanding payment even if they want to. Although with only 11,000 orders, it probably won't make much of a ripple. That is assuming the orders were spread out across the nation at least fairly evenly.

@Thorny: I have a better idea, and not a new one: You have three systems: one for development, one for QA and one for production. The public can't see any system except for production. You want to do a promo? Fine. Develop it in development, and test it in QA, but the new code never hits production until after the green light.

I got one of the free pizzas....and the guy at the store was VERY unsettled about giving it to me...even going so far as to call to make sure it was a real order. When I got to the store I found out why...25 free medium pizzas for lunch that day. And really..it was a crappy pizza...I remember now why I don't get domino's.

@Pistachio?_GitEmSteveDave: Maybe he'll be riding a cab? Worked for Dan Hesse- he got tired of walking towards the light.

Going hungry is better than going to Domino's.

@verucalise: Dan's doing his commercial and a hand and a slice of pizza come in from off camera?

I got one of the free pizzas. The lady didn't seem to care that it was free.

@Thorny: Not human error - it's was the NOID. Avoid the noid. What the hell did that mean, anyway???

Having Worked at a Domino's, the only way I would eat there would be if I could make the pizza myself. Sure, the ingredients were heartburn tastic, but seriously? It's freakin pizza, not salad.

Thin Crust + Bacon + Hamburger + Banana pepper + Pepperoni + 5 cheeses = Oh wow thats tastey.

Also Wings cooked twice pre-sauced, delicious.

@Elcheecho: You have to be a member of the Illitch family, I'm guessing?

The packaging the pizza comes in tastes better.

@MauriceCallidice: Excuse me while I go enjoy some "death cookies" now ;-)

We have friends from Italy who invited us for dinner. The husband informed us we were having pizza, so we were all excited.

They had effing Papa John's ordered in.

One of the most disappointing dinners of my life. The pizza wasn't that bad, but when you're expecting a fabulous Italian-from-Italy cook to be making it....