On Tuesday Krispy Kreme announced it would be delivering 36,000 of its iconic original glazed doughnuts to Londoners for free.
All customers had to do to get their hands on a dozen was to order them from the UberEats app from 2pm. "Be the office hero," Krispy Kreme tweeted.
The giveaway was to celebrate doughnuts being available to order from the delivery app – but it didn't exactly go to plan.
FREE DOUGHNUTS TODAY ONLY, IN CENTRAL LONDON! We’re giving away 36,000 Original Glazed doughnuts, delivered by… https://t.co/MQMX2HfxWq
Thousands of people across the capital logged on to the app at 2pm ready to claim their sugar fix, and basically the UberEats app couldn't cope.
Many users got a message saying: "We didn't find a match for Krispy Kreme" – despite being in areas Krispy Kreme said it would be delivering to.
Yo @UberEATS, your collab with @krispykremeUK is a flop. #marketingflop #whataletdown #wereincentrallondon… https://t.co/nMRC6XkJDK
People were not happy.
Krispy Kreme and UberEats just trolled an entire city.
They felt a bit disrespected.
@eliee_xd @krispykremeUK Nah mate, my mother didn't carry me in her womb for 9 months for Krispy Kreme to disrespec… https://t.co/GSpuqFuxaX
Current scene in workplaces across London... #KrispyKreme
And being cynical Londoners, some people even suggested that Uber and Krispy Kreme had cocked it up deliberately as some kind of shady marketing ploy.
@krispykremeUK @UberEATS Didn’t know it was still Halloween @krispykremeUK seems to be all about tricking users by… https://t.co/vl7DQt1R0I
And other people were mad because the doughnuts were only available in London.
@krispykremeUK @UberEATS Just got the email, all excited and now I see this post stating only London! No longer exc… https://t.co/8J5tdVKG0h
There were also plenty of people unhappy that Krispy Kreme was giving away free doughnuts on World Diabetes Day, because sugar.
On World Diabetes Day, Krispy Kreme gives out 36,000 free glazed doughnuts. Good timing guys. Good timing.
Krispy Kreme giving out free doughnuts on World Diabetes Day. Don't think they thought that one through
And then things got worse: When those who thought they had successfully managed to get their hands on some free doughnuts had their orders cancelled.
UberEats you cheeky bastards free doughnuts order confirmed now cancelled. Feel like I have been cheated on. Krispy… https://t.co/r9Bl3Odswr
We’ve gone from 4 of us having FREE #krispykreme doughnuts in our cart and ordered to all orders being cancelled...… https://t.co/IjFqubGHFN
Really not happy with your service! I placed an order for some Krispy Kreme doughnuts and after 15mins you cancelle… https://t.co/H3hS2XXwDb
And just when it seemed things couldn't get any worse, some people claimed they were charged for doughnuts that were supposed to be free.
@UberEATS I have been charged £19 for attempting to order the free Krispy Kreme doughnuts. WHAT IS GOING ON?!?
@Uber_Support @krispykremeUK I am very furious. I got charged £9 for the free Krispy Kreme order that got cancelled. I want my money back
In a statement that included an unforgivably bad pun, an UberEats spokesperson said: "We've been overwhelmed by Londoners' love of Krispy Kremes with tens of thousands of orders in just a few minutes. This caused a technical issue.
"We're working hard to get this sorted, but doughnut worry, the activity will run all afternoon so there is still time to order.”
At the time of publication, the Krispy Kreme offer was still unavailable.
BuzzFeed News understands that any customers who were incorrectly charged will get a refund.