Applebee’s date night pass sold out instantly, users question ‘scam’

It might be a while before you can buy another Applebee’s Date Night Pass.

The nationwide chain sold out of the highly coveted $200 date night passes within a minute on Monday, the day they were officially released for purchase.

The pass, sold exclusively online, gets customers $30 off more than 50 meals at any Applebee’s location through 2025, according to the restaurant chain’s website.

“Due to popular demand, the Applebee’s Date Night Pass has sold out! … Remember that Applebee’s is always a great destination for date night,“ the company’s website states.

The “excitement and demand from guests for Applebee’s Date Night Pass far surpassed our expectations,” an Applebee’s spokesperson shared with USA TODAY.

The restaurant chain did not say how many date night passes were sold, but said that “there were tens of thousands of hungry guests waiting to try and snag a pass” right before the sale began.

Here’s what we know.

How have Applebee’s customers reacted to Date Night Pass frenzy?

Many expressed their frustrations on social media and blamed Applebees’ website.

Bobby McWho, an X user, wrote “Literally spamming refresh on @Applebees for the date night and didn’t even see the option to purchase one. What’d they sell, like 5 of them?”

Another user, by the name AsheIsMash, stated, “Listen, I’m not even mad if they sold 5. I’m mad cuz I emailed them to make sure I knew the right place and they gave me the wrong link lol. Just seemed extremely unorganized, and they didn’t think about how we would feel after the fact,” according to a post on X.

“Within the span of probably 30 seconds the Applebees date night pass was in my cart available and then sold out,” another customer wrote.

The brand, on the other hand, said if they learned one thing, it would be that “our guests are hungry for date night at Applebee’s! We’re always looking for ways to make date night special for our guests, according to a statement obtained by USA TODAY.

“Thank you to our fans for their interest in our Applebee’s Date Night Pass.”

What is an Applebee’s Date Night Pass?

The physical card, offered by the restaurant chain, gets you $30 off 52 meals and non-alcoholic beverages at any participating Applebee’s location through Jan. 31, 2025.

Customers can’t begin to use the passes in-store until Thursday, Feb. 1.

Will Applebee’s sell any more Date Night Passes?

It is not immediately clear whether Applebee’s plans on selling any more date night passes this year, as the company website said only “a limited number of exclusive passes would be sold.”

But the restaurant join did encourage customers to “join Club Applebee’s for future updates.”