SOURDOUGH

Domino’s Cans Tone-Deaf ‘Free Pizza for Nice Karens’ Promotion in New Zealand

The New Zealand branch announced that it was “taking the name Karen back.”

Domino’s has dropped a deal offering free pizza to “nice Karens” after the company was ridiculed for the tone-deaf promo. In an apparent effort to capitalize on recent conversations about white privilege, the New Zealand branch of the world’s leading last resort for pizza announced a giveaway entitled “Calling all (nice) Karens.” People called Karen—a name that has become synonymous with obnoxious or racist middle-aged white women—were encouraged to tell Domino’s why they were actually a good Karen, writing: “Today we’re taking the name Karen back. At Domino’s, we’re all about bringing people together and we want to celebrate all the great Karens out there by shouting them a free pizza!” Inevitably, the promotion was swiftly followed by an apology, with Domino’s lamenting that people interpreted the campaign “in a different way than we intended.” The statement added: “We want you to know that we are always listening and learning and when we get it wrong, we fix it. We are sorry.”