Business & Tech

Passionate Pizza Lovers Peeved At Mr. Dino's

A promotion proved too popular

When Mr. Dino's Pizzeria on Watchung Avenue announced it was rolling back prices by 30 years for three days this week, Montclair parents were over the moon.

It meant that the cost of a slice of the locale's well-loved pizza dropped from $2.15 to 45 cents and the price of an entire pie plummeted from $13 to $3.25.

But the promotion backfired just a bit when it became plainly apparent just how popular cheap pizza can be.

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One Montclair parent said she was thrilled when she heard Mr. Dino's was advertising a rolling back of prices this week from Monday to Wednesday.

"My youngest and I headed over there today at 3:30 to grab two pies for the road," she said. "I was so excited I would not be cooking, and would be the 'best mom' for having pizza available when everyone walked in the door.

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"As we walked up to the restaurant we noticed a line—I commented how busy they must be to have the line extend outside," she said. "But, no, they had locked the doors."

Eventually, she said, an employee came to the door to say he wasn't letting anyone else in but that the establishment would be re-opening later today—but without the reduced prices.

"I was angered," she said. "How can a business advertise something to last for three days but then have a huge sign on the door stating the sale is only effective 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. and then lock the doors at 3:30 p.m.? Mr. Dino's will not get another dime from our family."

An employee at the pizzeria who would not give her name said that Mr. Dino's decided today to only offer the special prices between 11 a.m. and 4 p.m. instead of until 11 p.m.—the regular closing time.

"It just became way more chaotic than anyone ever expected," she said. "I can't tell you how crazy it got around here with the crowds."


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