Free burritos or Bitcoin?
Chipotle Mexican Grill has both up for grabs Thursday for National Burrito Day. The fast-casual chain announced Tuesday it will give away $100,000 in free burritos and $100,000 in Bitcoin through an interactive game.
National Burrito Day is April 1 and while Mexican food chains aren't exactly going the whole enchilada, the day hasn't been canceled like other food days during the COVID-19 pandemic. The made-up food holiday is held annually on the first Thursday of April.
Chipotle said in a news release that it is the first U.S. restaurant brand to offer a "cryptocurrency giveaway to consumers" through the "Burritos or Bitcoin" game, which starts Thursday at noon EST and ends at 9 p.m. at www.burritosorbitcoin.com.
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Chipotle said it is working with Stefan Thomas, the founder and CEO of Coil, for the game – which is described as "a playful ode to Thomas' experience losing the password to his hard drive that stored $387 million in Bitcoin." The German-born programmer living in San Francisco made headlines in January for getting locked out of his digital wallet.
Now for its game, Chipotle is "claiming to have lost the passcode to its digital wallet and is encouraging its fans to carry out a mock 'chiptocurrency' rescue mission." Each player gets 10 tries to guess a correct six-digit passcode for a chance to win a free burrito or up to $25,000 in Bitcoin.
"National Burrito Day is a huge moment for Chipotle as our fans traditionally flock to our restaurants and digital platforms to order their favorites," Chris Brandt, Chipotle chief marketing officer, said in a statement. "We're always looking for unique ways to enhance the celebration, and this year, we're giving fans the opportunity to acquire two highly valuable assets: Burritos or Bitcoin."
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Losers might not end up empty-handed: "If players are unsuccessful in their ten attempts and endure the same fate as Thomas, they may be surprised and delighted with a special offer from Chipotle," the company said in the release.
According to the fine print, no purchase is necessary to enter and the contest is open to legal residents in 50 states and Washington D.C. who are 18 or older. Among the prizes: 10,000 fans will win one free burrito, 50 win $500 in Bitcoin and three win $25,000 in Bitcoin.
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More Burrito Day deals, free food
Here are the deals available at participating locations Thursday. To be on the safe side, check with your closest location before heading out. Some offers will require you to have a restaurant’s app or be signed up for emails.
Del Taco: Buy one Epic Burrito Thursday, get a second free with a purchase on the chain's app. Registration is required to access deals.
El Pollo Loco: Buy a burrito, get a second free Thursday. Plus, loyalty members who purchase a burrito with their Loco Rewards account will receive a free burrito coupon for Thursday and a second free burrito coupon to use in the El Pollo Loco mobile app anytime in April.
Freebirds World Burrito: Order Freebirds on GrubHub and get $7 off orders of $20 or more Thursday.
Maverik Adventure’s First Stop: Get a $1 off all burritos Thursday Plus, 5,000 loyalty customers will get a free burrito added to their digital app. Check Thursday to see if you received a freebie.
Moe’s Southwest Grill: Moe's will have $5 burritos and bowls Thursday. The chain says no coupon or membership needed to get the deal.
Rubio's Coastal Grill: National Burrito Day is a two-day celebration at Rubio's. Save $2 on any burrito on the menu Wednesday and Thursday with coupon code MKTG1068 on the app or website. In restaurants, show a coupon at www.rubios.com/coupons/national-burrito-day.
Taco Bell: New Taco Bell Rewards members can get a free Doritos Locos Tacos via the app for a limited time. Also from Thursday through April 5, there will be Chalupa Cravings Box buy-one-get-one offer via Uber Eats.
Taco John’s: Get the chain's Grilled Chicken Boss Burrito or Bowl for $5 Thursday with an offer in the chain's app.
Tijuana Flats: Loyalty members get double points on "Throwback Thursdaze burritos" Thursday. The weekly Throwback Thursdaze promotion includes a burrito, chips and a drink for $6.49. To get the double points, create an account before 7 p.m. EST Thursday in the Tijuana Flats Rewards app or at www.tijuanaflats.com/rewards.
More deals: Some local restaurants and smaller chains also will celebrate National Burrito Day with specials.
Follow USA TODAY reporter Kelly Tyko on Twitter: @KellyTyko
