There’s no shortage of off-site events at SDCC this year, and USA’s Mr. Robot is back on the ground with a new concept. At a makeshift E Corp bank located at 327 4th Avenue, fans can open an “account” with E Corp, loaded with 20 Ecoin cryptocurrency. The event is open from 11 AM – 7 PM through Saturday and then from 11-4 PM Sunday. Once signed up for the card, you can use it at the following locations for free food:
- Red Wheelbarrow BBQ (directly next door to the bank) – 1 BBQ pulled pork slider, chips and a milkshake. Free. Also offering a t-shirt for 5 Ecoin.
- Cute Cakes (518 6th Ave) – Any gourmet cupcake. 5 Ecoin.
- Simon Says Coffee (430 F St) – Any coffee/tea (hot or iced) or other cold beverage. 5 Ecoin.
- Ciro’s Pizzeria (536 Market St) – Any slice of pizza. 5 Ecoin.
- Premier Hot Dog (428 G St) – Any specialty hot dog. 5 Ecoin.
- Rustic Meatballs (455 10th Ave) – A meatball sub, sausage sandwich, or breakfast wrap. 5 Ecoin.
- Hot Dog Bar (738 5th Ave) – Any specialty hot dog. 5 Ecoin.
- Gaslamp Pizza (505 5th Ave) – Any slice of pizza. 5 Ecoin.
- Chocolate Cremerie (509 5th Ave) – Any small gelato. 5 Ecoin.
- Food Shop (455 5th Ave) – 1 Banh Mi sandwich. 5 Ecoin.
- Big Thyme Sandwich (807 F St) – 2 sliders OR 1 parfait. 5 Ecoin.
- Brooklyn Bagel (1000 Island Ave) – Any bagel & cream cheese with small coffee/iced tea/water. 5 Ecoin.
- Cat Cafe (472 3rd Ave) – Any sized coffee/tea and a cookie. 5 Ecoin.
- Crunch Time Popcorn and Kim’s Creamery (611 K St. Ste C) – Choose any one scoop of ice cream OR any small popcorn OR a hot dog and soda/water. 5 Ecoin.
- Lolita’s at the Park (202 Park Blvd) – Choose 2 street tacos and drink OR cheese quesadilla and drink. 5 Ecoin.
- Lounge Burger (528 5th Ave) – 1 Lounge Burger. 5 Ecoin.
- My Yogurt/Dough Pretzel (542 5th Ave) – Any small frozen yogurt OR small pretzel. 5 Ecoin.
- Ghirardelli Ice Cream and Chocolate Shop (643 5th Ave) – 1 hot fudge sundae. 5 Ecoin.
As you can see, that 20 Ecoin adds up to a lot – potentially 5 free meals including the free lunch at Red Wheelbarrow BBQ. Each offer is valid only one time, so you’ll have to mix up the usage across downtown. I decided to test it out (for science) and snagged a free sundae at Ghirardelli, which would’ve cost me around $10 out of pocket, and was so large that a friend and I split it and still didn’t finish it off.
In addition to the free stuff, there’s a second, deeper layer to this activation for fans of the show that blew me away. I don’t want to spoil any details, but we spoke with the team behind the activation, and the work put into it is impressive. Anyone who’s familiar with the show will know not to take anything at surface value – clues, puzzles, and cryptograms abound with any social experience from the Mr. Robot team, and this activation is no exception. If you’re interested in getting your food and getting out, go for it. But if you want some potential sneaks or clues for season 3, we recommend paying close attention to your surroundings inside the Red Wheelbarrow BBQ restaurant (in fact, on anything you see branded by the off-site experience) and acting on anything that resembles a clue. The experience goes far beyond BBQ if you’re interested in exploring further.
