Story perspectives

Five Guys BOGO Promo Crashes After Code System Overload

By Drooid · Sep 17, 2026, 6:11 PM UTC · How we work

Summary

Five Guys BOGO Glitch

Five Guys required the BOGOBURGER code be entered online or via its app, not at counters.
Customers must sign into a Five Guys account; the code works once per account and expires at midnight.
Founder Jerry Murrell said the Feb 17, 2026, 40th-birthday BOGO promotion overwhelmed stores, causing system crashes.
After the February mishap, Five Guys ran a March redo and paid $1.5 million in employee bonuses.

Summary

US Chains Promote Cheeseburgers

U.S. chains launch National Cheeseburger Day promotions on Sept. 18, 2026.
McDonald’s gives Rewards members a free double cheeseburger with a $1 purchase.
Burger King offers Royal Perks members a free bacon cheeseburger with a $3 purchase.
Wendy’s lets Rewards members add a Dave’s Single cheeseburger for $1.99.
Buffalo Wild Wings runs a nationwide buy-one-get-one-free cheeseburger, excluding lunch combos.

History

Historical Context

In 1998 McDonald’s rolled out a nationwide Monopoly sweepstakes that boosted sales by $24 million but was soon undermined by a $24 million fraud uncovered by the FBI. The scheme, run by third-party Simon Marketing, echoed earlier contests that began in 1987 and later shifted online in 2005, illustrating a long-standing pattern of fast-food brands using limited-time promotions that attract regulatory attention.

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Five Guys BOGO Glitch

Five Guys required the BOGOBURGER code be entered online or via its app, not at counters.
Customers must sign into a Five Guys account; the code works once per account and expires at midnight.
Founder Jerry Murrell said the Feb 17, 2026, 40th-birthday BOGO promotion overwhelmed stores, causing system crashes.
After the February mishap, Five Guys ran a March redo and paid $1.5 million in employee bonuses.

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