On Monday night I went to Kro's Nest after winning the Beijinger pizza wars. I was told that I had won a free pizza party for 10 people. All we got for the "pizza party for 10" was an extra-large pizza, which meant one (albeit large) slice per person. This was not enough to fill up 10 people, and it felt like a scam to get us to spend money, since we were all already there. The waitress even tried to upsell salads and appetizers, which is usually welcome, but not when you are expecting to eat for free. I felt embarrassed for inviting my co-workers, since half of them had never been there before, and everyone was expecting a free meal that would fill them up. Free draft beer was also included, but the whole restaurant was allowed free beer, so it wasn't a special privilege. In fact, because of this, they kept running out of beer, and the waitress only served us once. From that point on we had to go up to the bar to refill our cups. Also, there was only one waitress for the 30 people (3 people won a pizza party for 10). It took 20 minutes for my drink to arrive, and then another 30 minutes for the (not free) refill, after asking three times for another glass. Even though I personally won the pizza party, I paid 45rmb for three glasses of tea. If I had stayed home, I would have spent less money eating somewhere else.
The poor management and the fact that I was supposed to have won a "pizza party" that felt more like a money-making scheme turned the expected pleasant evening into an expensive hassle. Although Kro's Nest was my favorite pizza place in town, after my "prize", I don't plan on returning.