If only I could use my powers for Good...
During the Superbowl this evening, GrubHub aired a commercial featuring a $15 discount on your first order if you placed it before the end of the Game.
I had visions of a NOC somewhere lighting up red, and GrubHub's version of Kerz calling for hatches to be battened.
Went to their site, and amazingly: it was up.
I tried searching for restaurants in my area: the search worked.
I tried placing an order for $12 worth of chicken wings and $4 worth of Its It ice cream: the cart loaded and I was prompted to create an account.
I tried figuring out to apply the $15 discount mentioned in the Superbowl Ad, but couldn't figure it out. There was a link for "live help" at the top of the page: a popup loaded.
Queue length: 117. It updated minutely, decrementing by 1 every 3 minutes or so... It was going to be a while.
I went to Twitter and saw other people confused on how to activate the discount. Below the most recent tweets I saw people tweeting their GrubHub affiliate link to get $15 split ($7.50 each) between the affiliate and any new signups. I put one of those codes in and got $7.50 off my order -- sending $7.50 to some benevolent stranger.
I submitted the order wondering if maybe that would trigger the $15 discount, no luck. Estimated junk food arrival time: 2 hours.
While waiting for Live Help, I decided to tweet my affiliate link "thanking @GrubHub for helping me get the $15 #superbowl #grubhub coupon code" and waited for affiliate clicks to roll in. Fingers crossed!
20 minutes later, a knock at the door: the food guy! Over an hour and a half earlier than GrubHub's estimate.
The last time I saw someone in this much of a hurry, it was the UPS on iPhone delivery day. We exchanged tip for food and he was running away when I said "hey, where's the icecream?"
He looked pretty dejected, checked the receipt -- and said he had forgotten but would be back. 30 minutes later another knock: haggard delivery guy with ice cream! Thanks!
Away he flew like the down of a thistle... A short while later I noticed the ice cream was not Vanilla but dreaded Cappucino. Bleagh.
I called the pizza joint and explained the situation -- I offered to go over to exchange it and the hostess said "don't worry" about bringing the Cappucino back -- she'd just give me new ice creams.
So I went over and she had a bag ready for me -- with two boxes of Its It ice cream bars! So this is what the freezer looks like now:
When I got back, the 117 queue was down to single digits, and then someone got online. She explained the coupon offer was for a few select markets (San Francisco) being one of them, and if I wasn't properly geo-fenced, I wouldn't get the offer. I explained I was in the SF bay area and she credited my GrubHub account (disclaimer: for my next purchase with them).
So, I think things worked out in my favor. If anyone uses my GrubHub affiliate link to sign up, then I'll definitely be in the black.
