Like Quizno’s and KFC before them, Papa John’s went and set up a cute promotion without making sure that all of their franchisees have signed on. Papa John’s founder John Schnatter was reunited with his long-lost 1971 Camaro, and to celebrate, promised free pizza to anyone who drove up to a Papa John’s restaurant in a Camaro. Except, you guessed it, not at all Papa John’s locations.

Come on, franchised restaurants, we explained this to you back in May, when Chris wrote:

Every time I hear about a “free” offer from a fast food chain now I dismiss it immediately, because I figure the offer will be more trouble than it’s worth as I try to track down a participating location.

Consumerist reader and Camaro owner Paul was disappointed to learn that not all restaurants in his area were participating in the Camaro promotion…or, indeed, were even aware of the Camaro promotion.

As a Camaro enthusiast, I looked forward to free Pizza from Papa John’s today.

I took some coworkers for free pizza at lunch time to a Papa Johns on Bristol in Santa Ana California. As soon as I pulled up and gave them my name, they cheerfully handed over the pizza I had ordered and all three of us had a nice lunch. My coworker even commented how different it was from the Quizno’s and KFC fiascoes recently.

On the way home I stopped at my Papa John’s on El Toro in Lake Forest CA, for a free pie and the front end people didn’t even know about the promo. They consulted the manager who said the owner of that franchise was not honoring the promo. I spoke to the manager. He was very nice but said the owner (of 20 shops in Orange County) informed them they weren’t honoring the promo. He said if he did, he could get in big trouble. Another Camaro owner, driving a beautiful yellow ’68 was also denied.

I called the next two closest stores and none of the Papa Johns near my home would honor it. What is the point in a publicized, national promo if all these chains won’t back it up.

I never really liked Papa John’s. This is all the more reason to avoid them.

While we can’t help but point out that Paul and his Camaro technically broke the rules by attempting to get more than one pizza, this is disappointing news.

(Photo: Caveman 92223 – On the Road Again!)

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