Comment from Ubu Walker
Time: November 14, 2007, 1:30 pm

You go girl! (If you say it fast, it sounds like yogurt girl)

Comment from Blair
Time: November 14, 2007, 1:33 pm

I just stopped into Yolato after lunch and they had the free plain yogurt samples at the door but I just walked past the server and went to the counter and asked for a free sample of the Ferrero Rocher. They gave it to me in the tiny cup, however, my co-worker asked for a free sample of Cookies & Cream and he received it on the little orange spoon. So, I’m not sure how they determine who gets cups and who gets spoons but either way, it was good.

Comment from Pumpkinette
Time: November 14, 2007, 1:48 pm

I am up for that type of ban–I made a 15 minute detour to get the “free” Yolato and it turns out there wasn’t any. What a scam (I did try the free samples, though and while they were good its not like I’d walk out of my way to pay $5 for a cup).

Comment from DDR
Time: November 14, 2007, 2:02 pm

I’m mad as hell and I’m not gonna take it anymore!

Comment from stan
Time: November 14, 2007, 2:08 pm

Dishes has raised all of their prices but not updated the menu boards or price signs. Some of the boards make reference to new fall pricing, but it’s been about a month and somehow they still haven’t been able to fix the listed prices.

I was expecting to pay $3.25 for a piece of cake labeled $3.25. When the receipt said $3.75, and I was told that it was the new pricing. How is it that they are able to pump out about 50 different buffet dishes, 30 baked goods and countless other products each day, but for a month they cannot update the posted prices.

This must be a violation of a consumer protection law. is it time for a class action suit for all of the defrauded customers?

Comment from Rudy McBagel
Time: November 14, 2007, 2:11 pm

oh the humanity.

Comment from Tess
Time: November 14, 2007, 2:15 pm

Hi Zach

It is I… your friend that spent $4 for a small cup of Yolato (or as I now call it… yo-pay-too-much).

I like the Yolato in the West Village, but this Yolato sure has been ‘midtowned’. After enjoying my overpriced frozen treat, I am boycotting! I WILL NOT END MY BOYCOTT UNTIL MIDTOWNLUNCH READERS GET THE FREE YOLATO THAT WE DESERVE!!!!

Comment from Swan
Time: November 14, 2007, 2:32 pm

I walked 20 min crosstown for “free yolato”. =( I enjoy it more than Pinkberry because of the Nutella topping but alas it failed me today.

Comment from John Jameson
Time: November 14, 2007, 3:08 pm

I went by and the place was busy. Girl outside gave mini cups of fro yo. 2 flavors, I liked the blackberry. Inside I could taste whatever I wanted. Aloe vera. Hmm, scary but kind of good. Where’s the scam - I’m confused.

Comment from mish
Time: November 14, 2007, 3:11 pm

alas, i too was a victim of this free yolato hustle. i must have been one of several midtown lunch readers who asked the sample lady, “wait, is THIS the free yogurt they’re giving out today??!!!1!” while holding the teeny ketchup-cup in my hand. and yes, it was good (very pinkberry-esque), but i was NOT going to pay for any yolato after that.

i considered asking the counter guys for several samples of the the flavored stuff, but a girl seemed to be having an extended debate w/2 of the employees that went something like: “but is it lowfat or fat-free? does it have dairy in it?” the counter guy said it was low-fat and “low in calories,” but that only seemed to piss her off more, and she sighed very loudly and asked, “yeah but HOW MANY calories does it have??? how MUCH fat?”

Comment from total scam
Time: November 14, 2007, 3:16 pm

i don’t know if i’ll be disciplined enough to boycott it forever, but that really is crappy advertising. free samples are a given.

Comment from nate
Time: November 14, 2007, 3:38 pm

this is just one more reason to avoid snacks like the plague, and simply order a mammoth lunch from el rincon del sabor every day.

Comment from DDR
Time: November 14, 2007, 4:05 pm

Nate, what is the best day to visit el rincon? I’ve been meaning to go for a while, but have not yet made it, and I understand their specials vary by the day.

Comment from fedthefish
Time: November 14, 2007, 4:19 pm

thankfully i only work a block away so seeing the girl with the mini cups wasn’t too dreadful. we should’ve had a midtownlunch yolato meet up and then we could’ve all protested together!

Comment from Bobby
Time: November 14, 2007, 5:13 pm

I walked 45 minutes uptown to get my free Yolato!!!!!!! To my absolute horror, I was informed that free meant this mind-numbing little pimple of a cup with plain disgusting “yogurt”. There weren’t enough calories to cover my 50 block journey, nor were there enough yogurt cultures to stave off the bacteria my body incurred.

I feel 100% stripped of my human dignity. This is inhumane! We are not prey to inconsiderate Yolato management. Yes, let’s boycott! I also think we should picket the place at lunch and see if we can get one of those inflatable rats to show up at the front door. I am also willing to handcuff myself to the front door in a Pinkberry shirt and be sprayed with dairy free whipped cream.

Yo Mamma!

Comment from DDR
Time: November 14, 2007, 5:38 pm

Free the Yolato 7

Comment from nina
Time: November 14, 2007, 8:03 pm

I agree! This is unacceptable. I went really far, and to make up for it, i had take little cups from the sample guy 5 separate times to feel like I got anything! No more Yolato LIES!

Comment from Anon
Time: November 14, 2007, 10:35 pm

Yolato is claiming that nobody complained at the store. haha doesn’t sound like that to me

http://eater.com/archives/2007/11/eaterwire_yolat.php

Comment from John Jameson
Time: November 14, 2007, 11:56 pm

What kind of pathetic losers walk 10 blocks to get free yogurt? Get a life people. You’re lucky you have jobs - a recession’s a coming.

Comment from Stu
Time: November 15, 2007, 10:15 am

John.

New Yorkers.

Curious ones, interested to try new things.

A much superior breed than those who surf new websites to find new people to insult.

Comment from Sarah
Time: November 15, 2007, 11:02 am

John Jameson starts the flood of catty Gothamist commenters stopping by our usually idyllic little blog (ha!) I’m a tasti D girl myself. I’m old school like that. I want no actual edible ingredients in my ice cream substitute. See! I’m not *that* big a hippie!

Comment from Mamacita
Time: November 15, 2007, 11:49 am

John (11:56 pm) has been hitting the ‘Ol Jameson bottle a little too hard.

Comment from Tess
Time: November 15, 2007, 2:06 pm

RE:Comment from Anon
Time: November 14, 2007, 10:35 pm

Yolato is claiming that nobody complained at the store. haha doesn’t sound like that to me

http://eater.com/archives/2007/11/eaterwire_yolat.php

That’s crazy!!! People were complaining! I saw Zach complaining, I was complaining, the people next to me were complaining. Jeez…

Comment from Rudy McBagel
Time: November 15, 2007, 4:12 pm

John Jameson , please refrain from these hurtful and damaging remarks.

That’s my job.

Comment from John Jameson
Time: November 16, 2007, 3:58 pm

I apologize Mr. McBagel for taking your job.

And I like bourbon…

Comment from o_O
Time: November 17, 2007, 12:58 pm

Omg, absolute tragedy

Pingback from Scam Related News (11/15/2007) : Scam Alerts | Email Scams | Text Message Scams | Phishing Scams | Scam Reports
Time: November 27, 2007, 9:34 am

[...] Free Yolato Day is a Scam!!! By Zach@MidtownLunch Apparently Yolato, and their PR dept’s definition of “Free Yolato” is something entirely different than my definition. Free Yolato means that you are not charging money for Yolato… And yet today, I arrived at Yolato to find the cash … Midtown Lunch - midtownlunch.com/blog [...]

Comment from Yvo
Time: March 26, 2008, 1:30 pm

Haha I stopped by a Yolato (I think?) at Union Sq. when they opened and their free samples were teensy cups of plain or green tea yogurt… The saddest part was that a few weeks later, at JFK airport, random yogurt bearing people came up to us and gave us better samples with toppings! Hmph.