Overview
Life is all about the simple pleasures. A smile from a loved one. The warmth of the summer sun. The satisfying feeling that comes with helping a fellow human being.
Also, free sandwiches. Actually, especially free sandwiches. In fact, you can keep all that other stuff. Just get us a free sandwich.
Luckily, the folks at Reuben Republic are doing exactly that. From now until November 11, Marrickville residents who sign up via this link right here will be entitled to a free sandwich at the Marrickville deli cafe. Because why bother with convoluted promotions when you can win customer loyalty forever by just handing them free food?
There are six different sandwiches on offer as part of the giveaway: the Classic (pastrami and American mustard on light rye), the East Coast Reuben (pastrami, kraut, swiss cheese and Russian dressing on light rye), the West Coast Reuben (pastrami, slaw, swiss cheese and Russian dressing on dark rye) and the Pork Special (pork shoulder, cream cheese, sundried tomato, wild rocket, slaw, barbecue sauce, Russian dressing and sriracha on light rye), as well as vegetarian options Veggie One (swiss cheese, wild rocket, balsamic glaze, Russian dressing and deli-style potato salad on dark rye) and Veggie Two (cream cheese, sundried tomato, slaw, pickles, wild rocket, barbecue sauce and Russian dressing on light rye).
Now before you start planning a whole week's worth of lunches around this, you should be warned that there's a limit of one per customer. After all, they're not saints.
Find Reuben Republic at 266 Marrickville Road, Marrickville. To sign up for your free sandwich, go here.
AMENDMENT, NOVEMBER 7, 2015:
We were just last night notified that the giveaway was intended for the members of a closed Facebook group, Marrickville 2020. When we first heard about the giveaway on Wednesday, November 4, no mention was made in the terms and conditions (cached version of the page available here) on the Reuben Republic website where the promotion appeared that this was a closed Facebook group deal only.
The link was accessible to the general public, and until Friday night, when we were contacted by the restaurant, we thought the promotion was merely that; a general marketing activation/promotion for the business, which they conduct regularly.
We double checked the giveaway's published terms and conditions, they being (and still appearing, copied and pasted, on Oz Bargain):
- Limit of one sandwich per person
- Valid until 11th of NOV 2015 (hurry be quick!)
- Redemption by sign-up only and providing proof of your redemption voucher (will be emailed to you) at the store
We removed the article this morning until we had had a chance to review all information as a Concrete Playground team. We've popped it back up again to explain that this issue appears to be one unfortunately created by Reuben Republic, not Concrete Playground, by (a) publishing what, at the time of publication, appeared to be a general promotion on an open link accessible to anyone, (b) not capping their maximum number of redemptions at a level that was manageable for the business.
As lovers and huge supporters of independent Sydney businesses, we would never knowingly mess around a Sydney eatery. We've always supported Reuben Republic, writing very positive (and well deserved) articles about them on numerous occasions, and would never intentionally bring harm to them or any business. Championing Sydney legends like Reuben Republic is the reason we get up in the morning and we genuinely thought we were promoting something awesome that both our audience and Reuben Republic would be interested in.
Some key facts:
The publication of the article in question (Wednesday afternoon at 3.45pm)
- The promotion conducted by Reuben Republic came to the attention of one of our editors via a link which appeared in their Facebook feed on Wednesday.
- The promotion appeared on the restaurant’s website on an open link (accessible to anyone).
- None of the three Concrete Playground editors that worked on the story saw in the terms and conditions any mention that the promotion was only available to a closed Facebook group called 'Marrickville 2020’ (which were also copied and published on Oz Bargain), although that is now mentioned in the header.
- There was no mechanism in place to verify that people entering the competition were members of the group.
- Reuben Republic claimed to us ‘almost 3000 vouchers signed-up (sic)'
- Reuben Republic targeted the Marrickville 2020 Facebook group, promoting the offer to its 6,931 members.
- The post in question has only had 2,207 page views on Concrete Playground.
The issue brought to our attention (Friday night at 7.18pm)
- Concrete Playground became aware of the issue on Friday night when the restaurant’s owner, John Bogiatzis, contacted us demanding that the article in question be removed, as the promotion was only intended for the members of closed Facebook group Marrickville 2020.
- We promptly responded (8.01pm) saying that we would add mention of the new terms on our article.
- We did not receive any further response or request from anyone at Reuben Republic, so assumed that this was acceptable.
- We took the article down this morning until we had a chance to review as a team and write an amendment to bring to the attention of our readers that there were further terms to the promotion. We have now done this.
- Reuben Republic has the names, phone numbers and email addresses for everyone who signed up to receive a free sandwich (it was a term of the promotion). It is within Reuben Republic’s power to communicate with these people and clarify that proof of their membership of the closed Marrickville 2020 Facebook group would be required for redemption at the restaurant.