Fact Check

'The 12 Days of Whataburger' Coupons

Can e-mailed '12 Days of Whataburger' coupons be redeemed for free food items at Whataburger outlets?

Published Dec. 6, 2007

Claim:

Claim:   "12 Days of Whataburger" coupons can be redeemed for free food items at Whataburger outlets.


MIXTURE


Example:   [Collected via e-mail, November 2007]


Hey everyone,

These are 12 coupons from Whataburger for the 12 days of Christmas. Please print them out and use them or forward them to someone you think will enjoy them.

Merry Christmas to all.



 

Origins:   The rapid and widespread distribution of images

made possible by the Internet has often posed something of a problem for companies that issue coupons for their products and services. Printed coupons meant for limited distribution have been scanned and disseminated widely via e-mail, phony coupons have been created with digital editing programs and dispersed via the Internet, and on-line coupons targeted for selected consumers have been widely forwarded outside their target groups.

A PDF document offering a dozen "12 Days of Whataburger" coupons which were intended to be sent by e-mail every other day in December, each offering a different free food item (fried pies, drinks, taquitos, breakfast sandwiches, burgers, shakes, and fries), began circulating via e-mail in late November 2007. However, at that time the Texas-based hamburger chain stated that the coupons were an unauthorized release of a proposed Internet-based Christmastime promotion that would no longer be rolled out because of the leak and therefore would not be honored:



12 DAYS OF WHATABURGER COUPONS — NOT VALID

It has come to Whataburger's attention that an unauthorized, unreleased version of a proposed internet coupon promotion called the "12 Days of Whataburger" has been circulated via email. These are NOT valid coupons and will not be honored at Whataburger restaurants.

We apologize for any inconvenience this may have caused. Thank you for your understanding.


However, the chain has rolled out the "12 Days of Whataburger" promotion for real in 2009, with the sign-up form on their web site inviting customers to:



Sign up today and you'll receive a coupon for free food valid every other day until December 24th, 2009. It could be anything from a shake, to French fries, to a Whataburger. And it's free just for sharing the holiday season with us.

Last updated:   1 December 2009


Sources:




    Malan, Denise.   "'12 Days of Whataburger' Coupons Not Valid."

    Corpus Christi Caller-Times.   29 November 2007.


David Mikkelson founded the site now known as snopes.com back in 1994.