Groupon's Fry-Up Deal Misleading

Groupon's deal in Belfast today is a Fry-Up and Glass of Orange Juice for Two for £6.60 at the Rabbit Room (Value £16.50). There were many mistakes and misleading statements in this advert and some of them were quite amusing. So today's post is detailing this advert and the problems with Groupon's claims.

This Groupon sounded like a great deal to me at first, quirky restaurant, graffiti on the walls. My kind of place! And who doesn't love an Ulster fry?

Sounds like a great deal right? Wrong!

First let's start with the Fine Print. The voucher expires June 13, 2011, is only valid on Sunday's from 10am-1pm, and excludes Easter Sunday and May Day Bank Holiday. That leaves 12 Sundays to use the deal. Except that when you read the 'fine print that applies to all deals' (on a separate page) you can't use the voucher the day after purchase. So tomorrow is out as well. This leaves you 11 Sundays to use your voucher between the hours on 10am and 1pm. So you can use your voucher only during a specific 33 hours in the next 3 months.

How many people bought today's deal? Well the ticker is currently at 357 people bought and still rising. That's more than 700 people who will be eating during these 33 hours.

Now for the pricing. How much do you normally pay for an Ulster Fry? We get a large fry at my local restaurant for about £4.30/person give or take. We get potato bread, soda bread, beans, black pudding, 2 sausages, bacon, a fried egg mushrooms, and a tomato. But Groupon has advertised that the regular price for a Fry-Up for 2 in the Rabbit Rooms is £16.50. That's £8.25 per person!

Is that how much the Rabbit Rooms normally charge for a fry? The advert says they normally charge £6.45 and you get a glass of orange juice at £1.80. Bringing the total up to £8.25.

Yes! £1.80 for a glass of orange juice. That must be a HUGE glass of orange juice? Right? I mean you could buy a CARTON of orange juice for £1.80. Well.... not quite. Have a look at the picture! A shot glass of orange juice.

And is that the fry we'll be getting as well?!? It doesn't look like much food! Especially for the original price of £8.25 per person!


So what is included with your Ulster Fry? Time to look at the 'Highlights' section of Groupon which is actually also fine print.

Fry-up includes bacon, sausage, soda bread, mushrooms, and roasted tomatoes. That's it?!? No eggs, or beans? And I'm assuming the fact that they say 'sausage' means you are only getting one. Does the Rabbit Room normally charge £8.25 for just those few items?

Then they say that you can upgrade for an additional £2, which presumably means you'd get the regular fry-up, with eggs, and a bit more meat. I'm assuming that's £2 per person, but its not clear. So if you choose to upgrade, you're now paying £5.30 per person for a fry and orange juice. Which sounds about normal.

So was the advert accurate at least? Well even after all the fine print and exceptions, it is still not accurate. In the meal description, it states, 'Enjoy a scrambled egg on the sly with today's Groupon.'

Unfortunately Groupon, we don't get a scrambled egg on the sly with this deal! Even with all this fine print you still couldn't get it right...

Update:

Someone has asked Groupon why eggs are not included in the deal.

Groupon's response: 'Its best to ask when you sit down but I'm sure they will.'

Does the owner of Rabbit Rooms know Groupon is promising more food included in the voucher?