A lost bet, long lines and free Little Caesar's pizza

ALTON – Something crazy happened.

In college basketball's March Madness, the number 16 seed took the number one seed, something Little Caesar's pizza chain bet against happening. If it were to happen, however, the chain would give customers free lunch combos. Well, the number 16 seeded University of Maryland, Baltimore County took the number one seeded Virginia Cavaliers 74-54 on March 16, which means Little Caesar's customers across the nation are able to enjoy a free lunch on Monday, April 2, 2018.

There are a few stipulations, however. To receive the free lunch of a four-slice deep dish pepperoni pizza and a 20-ounce drink from the Pepsi product line, one must order the lunch box no later than 1 p.m. local time on April 2. The promotion began at 11:30 a.m.

At the Alton Little Caesars, located at 1601 Washington Avenue, the line was wrapping around the block just after the promotion began. The scores of people waiting in the queue told a reporter they were given vouchers. Many at the back of the line worrying they would not arrive in the building to order by 1 p.m. They had been waiting for as long as a half hour. They were given vouchers for a buy one, get one free offer in the next two days.

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“She came out here and gave it to us in case we didn't make it in,” one potential free pizza customer said. “They got us.”

John Pierce was able to snag a deep dish pepperoni soon after the offer began. He said he began standing in line around 11:15 after going to the adjacent Family Dollar to get a drink. He said he waited about 20-30 minutes for his free lunch.

“They didn't start serving us until about 11:40 or quarter till,” he said. “So I wanted in that line until then.”

The line was growing just before noon Monday, despite the cold temperatures and snow still on the ground. Workers from the Litte Caesar's were understandably too busy getting free food to a long line to comment on the matter.

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