“MAKING THE GRADE” CONTEST

OFFICIAL TERMS AND CONDITIONS

NO PURCHASE NECESSARY TO ENTER OR WIN. A PURCHASE WILL NOT INCREASE YOUR CHANCES OF WINNING. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED.

This Contest is in no way sponsored, endorsed, administered by, or associated with Instagram or Meta Platforms, Inc. By participating, you understand that you are providing information to Giordano’s and not to Instagram or Meta Platforms, Inc. Any information provided will be used only in accordance with these Official Rules and Giordano’s Privacy Policy.

1. SPONSOR

The “Making the Grade with Giordano’s” Contest (the “Contest”) is sponsored by VPC Pizza Management, LLC d/b/a Giordano’s, 60 E Superior Street Suite 300, Chicago IL 60611.

2. ELIGIBILITY

  • The Contest is open to any individual who is a legal resident of the continental United States, and is at least 18 years of age at the time of entry (each, “Enrant”)
  • Entrants may nominate any K-12 school (public, private, or charter) located in the United States as a potential winner. Entrants do not need to be affiliated with the school they nominate.
  • Void in Alaska, Hawaii, Puerto Rico, in other U.S. territories, and where prohibited.
  • Employees of Sponsor, its parent, affiliates, subsidiaries, advertising and promotion agencies, and each of their immediate family members (spouse, parent, child, sibling and their respective spouses, regardless of where they live) and/or persons living in the same household of each, whether related or not, are not eligible to participate or win.
  • The Contest is subject to all applicable federal, state, and local laws and regulations.

3. PROMOTIONAL PERIOD

  • Nomination Period: Begins September 1, 2026 at 12:00 AM CT and ends September 25, 2026 at 11:59 PM CT (the “Nomination Period”).
  • Public Voting Period: Begins on September 26, 2026 at 12:00 PM CT and ends on September 30, 2026 at 12:00 PM CT (the “Voting Period”).
  • Sponsor’s computer is the official time-keeping device for the Contest.

4. HOW TO ENTER AND NOMINATE A SCHOOL

During the Nomination period, visit the link in Giordano’s Instagram bio (@giordanospizza) and complete the nomination form, including your name, address, email address, and the nominated school’s name and location.

5. DETERMINATION OF SCHOOL FINALISTS

At the close of the Nomination Period, Sponsor will contact the three (3) schools with the most qualifying nominations. Sponsor will confirm the school’s eligibility and willingness to participate in the Contest as a Finalist. The three (3) schools that received the greatest number of qualifying nominations and which agree to participate, as verified by Sponsor, will be named Finalists. If a school declines to participate as a Finalist, Sponsor will contact the school with the next highest number of nominations, and so on, until three (3) Finalists are determined. In the event of a tie for one of the Finalist slots, the slot will be given to the school that obtained the number of nominations first during the Promotional Period.

Finalists will be announced on Giordano’s Instagram account (@giordanospizza) on or about September 26, 2026 at 12:00 PM CT.

6. PUBLIC VOTE/DETERMINATION OF WINNERS

During the Voting Period, the public will be invited to vote for their preferred Finalist school via Instagram Story. Limit one (1) vote per person per 24 hour period. Prize Winners will be determined by the number of valid public votes received during the Voting Period. Sponsor reserves the right to audit all votes and disqualify participants it determines, in its sole discretion, to be associated with vote-buying, vote exchanges, click farms, bots, automated scripts, multiple accounts, fraudulent practices, or other attempts to manipulate voting. Sponsor reserves the right to disqualify votes that Sponsor determines, in its sole discretion, may be associated with or were procured by fraudulent activities, duplicative accounts, votes generated through automated means, purchased or incentivized votes, votes obtained through coordinated manipulation, and votes procured in violation of these Official Rules or applicable laws.

The Finalist school receiving the most qualifying votes at the close of the Voting Period will be named the Grand Prize Winner. The two Finalist schools with the next highest number of qualifying votes at the close of the Voting Period will each be named a Runner-Up.

7. PRIZES

PlacementPrizeApproximate Retail Value (ARV)
Grand Prize (1 winner)$1,000 for school supplies$1,000
Runner-Up (2 winners)Pizza party for up to 50 staff members at a participating Giordano’s location (or catered/delivered, at Sponsor’s discretion)$500 each
  • Total ARV of all prizes: $2,000.
  • Acceptance and use of any prize is subject to the policies and procedures of the prospective winner schools and their school districts or other governing bodies and to applicable laws.
  • If a prospective winner is unable or unwilling to accept a prize, for any reason, Sponsor may select an alternate winner, in its sole discretion, based on the school with the next highest vote total.
  • Sponsor reserves the right not to award all prizes, in its sole discretion.
  • All prizes are non-transferable. No cash alternative or substitution will be permitted, except that Sponsor reserves the right, in its sole discretion, to substitute a prize of equal or greater value if a stated prize becomes unavailable or unable to be awarded.
  • Winners are solely responsible for all federal, state, and local taxes associated with prize acceptance and use.
  • Delivery/Distance Requirement: The Runner-Up pizza party prizes are contingent on the winning schools being located within the standard delivery radius of a participating Giordano’s location, as determined by Sponsor (see Section 2). Pizza party prizes will be scheduled based on availability of the nearest participating location and may be subject to a maximum delivery distance, minimum and maximum group size accommodations, and blackout dates. The Grand Prize is not subject to any delivery-distance requirement.
  • The Grand Prize will be issued in a form determined by Sponsor (e.g., check, gift card, or direct payment to the school), payable to the school, subject to any required approvals, documentation (e.g., a completed W-9), and procedures that may be required under state and local laws, school district and governance policies.
  • Any expenses or costs not expressly listed above (e.g., additional staff beyond 50, delivery outside the standard radius, gratuities) are the sole responsibility of the winning school.

8. WINNER NOTIFICATION AND VERIFICATION

On or about September 26, 2026, the Grand Prize Winner and Runner-Ups (collectively, “Winners”) will be identified by Sponsor. Sponsor will notify prospective Winners via the contact information provided at the time of nomination and/or via direct message or comment on Instagram, within ten business days of the close of the Voting Period. Winners (or an authorized representative of the winning school, such as a principal or administrator) will be required to sign and return an affidavit of eligibility, liability release, and, where lawful, a publicity release within ten days of notification. Failure to respond and execute and return required documents within the specified time may result in disqualification and selection of an alternate winner. For Runner-Up prizes specifically, failure to meet the delivery-distance eligibility requirement described in Section 2 and Section 7 will be handled as set forth in those sections. Sponsor is not responsible for undeliverable notifications.

9. GENERAL CONDITIONS

  • Sponsor reserves the right, in its sole discretion, to cancel, suspend, modify, or amend the Contest (or these Official Rules) at any time and for any reason, including without limitation, if fraud, technical failure, or any other factor beyond Sponsor’s reasonable control impairs the integrity of the Contest, subject to applicable law.
  • Sponsor reserves the right to disqualify any individual or school it finds, in its sole discretion, to be tampering with the entry process, violating these Official Rules, or acting in an unsportsmanlike or disruptive manner.
  • Sponsor’s decisions regarding all aspects of the Contest are final and binding.

10. RELEASE AND LIMITATION OF LIABILITY

ALL CONTEST PARTICIPANTS, INCLUDING WITHOUT LIMITATION, ENTRANTS, FINALISTS AND WINNERS, AGREE TO RELEASE, DISCHARGE, AND HOLD HARMLESS SPONSOR, ITS PARENT, AFFILIATES, SUBSIDIARIES, AND EACH OF THEIR RESPECTIVE OFFICERS, DIRECTORS, EMPLOYEES, AND AGENTS FROM ANY AND ALL LIABILITY, CLAIMS, OR ACTIONS OF ANY KIND FOR INJURIES, DAMAGES, OR LOSSES TO PERSONS OR PROPERTY ARISING OUT OF PARTICIPATION IN THE CONTEST OR THE ACCEPTANCE, USE, OR MISUSE OF A PRIZE. ALL CONTEST PARTICIPANTS ALSO AGREE TO COMPLETELY RELEASE INSTAGRAM AND META PLATFORMS, INC. FROM ANY LIABILITY ASSOCIATED WITH THE CONTEST.

11. PUBLICITY

BY PARTICIPATING IN THE CONTEST, ALL ENTRANTS, FINALISTS, AND WINNERS GRANT SPONSOR AND ITS DESIGNEES AND AGENTS THE FULL AND COMPLETE RIGHT TO USE THEIR NAMES, ADDRESSES, PHOTOGRAPHS, LIKENESSES, DEMOGRAPHIC INFORMATION, AND ENTRY MATERIALS, FOR ADVERTISING AND PROMOTIONAL PURPOSES, WORLDWIDE, IN ANY MEDIA, AND WITHOUT FURTHER COMPENSATION, UNLESS PROHIBITED BY LAW.

12. PRIVACY

Personal information collected in connection with this Contest will be used by Sponsor in accordance with these Official Rules and Giordano’s Privacy Policy, available at https://giordanos.com/privacy-policy/

13. DISPUTES / GOVERNING LAW

Entrants agree that: (a) any disputes, claims, and causes of action arising out of or in connection with this Contest shall be resolved individually, without resort to any form of class action, and exclusively by the courts located in Illinois; and (b) this Contest shall be governed by the laws of the State of Illinois, without regard to conflict of laws principles.

14. WINNERS LIST

To obtain a copy of the Winners List, send a self-addressed, postage prepaid envelope with your request marked “Giordano’s Making the Grade Contest Winner’s List” to:  60 E Superior Street Suite 300, Chicago IL 60611. Requests must be received by Sponsor by October 10, 2026.

15. SPONSOR CONTACT

Questions about these Official Rules may be directed to m.donaghue@giordanos.com